Can we trust that our children are safe in their bedrooms or in the living room while we cook dinner in the kitchen? Until not so long ago, the answer would have been categorically that at home they will always be safe, but in the era of digital interaction, physical barriers are sometimes not enough to protect them. Today, we are facing new challenges due to the presence of difficult-to-control online threats.
Something similar happens with our elders. Added to the effort it is for them to deal with new technologies is the fear of being scammed. Because, how can they be sure that when they enter the website of their bank from home it is not a pirate website impersonating that of their bank? For both, mechanisms are needed that provide us with peace of mind when using connected digital devices.
Isabel Cuesta, mother, founder of the Educa en Positivo project and author of the blog Una madre molona, recognizes the challenge for today's parents to balance parenting with the safe use of mobile phones and tablets. “In the digital age, changes happen at full speed. When it seems that you have already mastered a tool, an app or a site, suddenly they have already changed it ”, she points out.
Like good digital natives, children and adolescents adapt to these changes without blinking. A tough test for parents, who fear being outdated. Because if their offspring did nothing they enjoyed uploading stories on Instagram or following youtubers, now they are unconditional of the direct ones on Twitch or they do not stop uploading videos to TikTok. Not to mention online video games, with players with whom they chat without restrictions or calls to buy extras to continue playing on unreliable websites.
“For me, a fundamental key to facing the challenges of new technologies as a mother and father would be to train ourselves, to be able to have more fluid communication with our children, and to inform us of those tools that can help us in the use of technology in a safer way”, says Cuesta. “Only in this way can we enjoy being connected with who we love.”
Because not only our children face the challenges of the digital environment. In our day to day we make purchases online, share photos on our social networks or send all kinds of documents by mail. We are all exposed to digital fraud and our elders, even more. “We have to accompany them naturally. Solve your doubts when they arise and act with understanding if they suffer a scam, which can happen to anyone. In the end, we are all growing up in the digital age: our generation, that of our parents and that of our children”, says Cuesta.
The disseminator refers to fraud on the order of the day, such as phishing, malware or malicious sites. Increasingly sophisticated deceptions that require trusting companies like Movistar that ensure that the networks we use are safe environments. With its Secure Connection service, users can calmly enjoy the advantages of moving online, sharing photos or incorporating minors into family video conferences without worrying about their safety. “At home it helps us connect with the American family I lived with years ago. They're older, but it's amazing when we connect with them and my children are there too,” she says.
