Case Study

Kids & Online Threats

Author
Bianca Dima Bitdefender Communication Specialist [2]

Kids Watch Porn Online as Early as Age 6, Bitdefender Study Shows

Kids start watching porn online from as early as the age of 6, and flirting on the Internet from the age of 8, according to a Bitdefender marketing study of over 19,000 parents worldwide.

The antivirus companys marketing research shows the age of kids accessing instant messaging and computer games is decreasing. Some 3.45% of children chatting with IM friends and 2 percent of computer game addicts are five years old. Bitdefender also reveals some children lie about their age when creating social network profiles, especially on Facebook, where they must be at least 13 to sign up. Almost a quarter of the kids in the study had at least one social network account at age 12, while 17 per cent were social media users at 10. Kids nowadays are acting like young adults online - just give them an Internet-connected device and they will find a way to things parents would like to ban forever, Bitdefender Chief Security Strategist Catalin Cosoi said. Knowing that online dangers go beyond pornography, to hacking and suicide websites may help parents protect their kids life on- and offline. Bitdefender research also discovered teenagers leave instant messaging to the younger kids, as they prefer to access popular hate websites that allow children to post violent or racist messages. These websites also include content that discriminates on the basis of religion or sex, and some belong to terrorist organizations. Over 17 per cent of all children accessing hate websites are 14 years old, followed by 15 year-olds (16.52%) and 16 yearolds (12.05%).

[3]

Parents participating in the marketing study originate mostly from the US, France, Germany, the UK, Australia, Spain and Romania. Bitdefender also compared the results with data from parental control software. Here are the Top Web Categories that Most Interest Kids (and that parents block): 1. Pornography - 11.35% 2. Online Shops - 10.49% 3. File Sharing - 9.71% 4. Social Networks - 8.84% 5. News - 7.13% 6. Gambling - 5.91% 7. Online Dating - 5.77% 8. Business - 4.58% 9. Games - 3.14% 10. Hate - 2.91% 11. Other 30.17%

[4]

Below are the percentages of kids using instant messaging. Compared to the interest in hate websites, teenagers dont chat on IM as much as they used to.

Top Ages of Kids on IM channels:

Top Ages of Kids Accessing Computer Games:

[ 16.79% ] 14 year-olds [ 12.77% ] 15 year-olds [ 11.31% ] 10 year-olds [ 10.95% ] 13 year-olds [ 9.85% ] 9 year-olds [ 9.49% ] 16 year-olds [ 7.66% ] 12 year-olds [ 6.57% ] 8 year-olds [ 5.11% ] 11 year-olds [ 3.28% ] 7 year-olds [ 2.92% ] 6 year-olds [ 1.82% ] 5 year-olds

[ 22.79% ] 9 year-olds [ 20.30% ] 8 year-olds [ 11.60% ] 7 year-olds [ 10.08% ] 6 year-olds [ 4.14% ] 10 year-olds [ 4.14% ] 12 year-olds [ 3.45% ] 5 year-olds [ 3.18% ] 14 year-olds [ 2.90% ] 13 year-olds

[5]

Top Ages of Kids on Hate Websites:

Top Ages of Kids on Hacking Websites:

[ 17.39% ] 14 year-olds [ 16.52% ] 15 year-olds [ 12.05% ] 16 year-olds [ 11.80% ] 17 year-olds [ 9.69% ] 13 year-olds [ 7.95% ] 12 year-olds [ 6.21% ] 11 year-olds [ 5.22% ] 10 year-olds [ 3.48% ] 9 year-olds [ 2.61% ] 8 year-olds [ 1.61% ] 18 year-olds [ 1.12% ] 7 year-olds

[21.03%] 14 year-olds [17.76% ] 15 year-olds [ 14.48% ] 16 year-olds [ 9.48% ] 12 year-olds [ 8.45% ] 13 year-olds [ 6.21% ] 11 year-olds [ 4.66% ] 10 year-olds [ 3.28% ] 18 year-olds [ 2.76% ] 9 year-olds [ 1.90% ] 17 year-olds [ 1.55% ] 8 year-olds [ 1.03% ] 7 year-olds [ 1.03% ] 20 year-olds

Bitdefender parental control for Windows and Android is available both as a standalone application, and included in Bitdefender Total Security and Bitdefender Internet Security.

About Bitdefender
Bitdefender is a global company that delivers security technology in more than 200 countries through a network of value-added alliances, distributors and reseller partners. Since 2001, Bitdefender has consistently produced award-winning security technology, for businesses and consumers, and is one of the top security providers in virtualization and cloud technologies. Through R&D, alliances and partnership teams, Bitdefender has created the highest standards of security excellence in both its number-one-ranked technology and its strategic alliances with some of the worlds leading virtualization and cloud technology providers.

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