Jyotsna Atre: Cyber Safety For Children

In the post-pandemic world, while digitalisation has become a cornerstone of everyday life, the threat of cyber crime looms large. The grim sight of children in particular, drifting away into a world that’s mostly disconnected from reality and amplified by an obsession with social media, poses the question – how do we reorient ourselves to this new reality that comes with potential vulnerabilities and risks? We asked Jyotsna Atre, a cyber safety consultant for Cyber Sage.

Jyotsna Atre has made it her mission to bring awareness among children about cyber well-being. A multi-layered professional, Jyotsna’s also an educationist and prize winning author who seamlessly melds her love for nature with her vast experience in instructional design. Together, we explore the looming challenges of the virtual world in this conversation.

Tell us about your journey towards being a cyber safety consultant. How was Cyber Shala conceived?

It all began in 2016 when the Blue Whale Challenge started going viral. As a parent myself, I was deeply concerned by stories of young lives being lost to this dangerous world of online gaming. I realised how little awareness we have about online safety. That’s when I decided to reach out to schools and conduct workshops to create digital awareness amongst students and teachers about cyber safety issues, and navigating the digital world safely.

Over the last seven years, I have interacted with hundreds of students from bustling cities like Pune to remote towns in Uttarakhand. Even during the pandemic, I conducted workshops online. These interactions made me realise that children of all ages need guidance, but the approach has to be age-appropriate, relatable, and engaging.

That is how the idea of Cyber Shala was born. As an instructional designer, I had designed and developed learning content for over two decades. Determined to create something more impactful and sustainable, I used my expertise to set up Cyber Shala. The result is “Captain Subu in Cyberspace” series of workbooks for students from Grade 2 to Grade 10. It includes interactive activities on navigating the internet safely. Through Cyber Shala, I‘ve been reaching out to schools to make cyber safety education a part of every child’s learning journey.

How do we educate and equip our children to protect themselves in the digital landscape so they’re not left vulnerable to intimidation from online sources? 

It starts with embedding cybersecurity mechanisms on a very fundamental level, both in school and at home. Following basic safety steps, like making strong passwords; changing passwords frequently; not sharing personal information; being cognizant about who they interact with online; and understanding social boundaries are some of the essential ways of fostering a cyber-safety mindset.

As parents, we need to strengthen our bond with our children before they form this bond with someone else. Communication can be developed through shared experiences, like playing video games with them even if you’re not a gamer. Engage with your children in activities of their choice, that’s what real communication is. Communication isn’t about monitoring and controlling your child, it’s about getting involved with them, so don’t just hand over the gadgets to them. When children feel threatened they must feel comfortable in discussing it with you. At the same time, they should be taught to think and reason, before any kind of interaction online.

It’s fundamental now for schools to introduce students to online safety. It’s a topic that certainly cannot be overlooked in the curriculum, in the present scenario. If we’re teaching IT and computer science as subjects in schools, it becomes equally relevant to educate them on their protection.

What challenges does cyber safety present for children and their parents?

The world we see online is just the tip of the iceberg. We’re not familiar with the “invisible” part of it, which is dark and dangerous. Both adults and children, especially teens are more vulnerable. Sometimes, kids can unwittingly expose themselves to cyber predators or digital fraud by inadvertently downloading an app or malware, or falling prey to phishing, which could give cyber criminals access to a lot of sensitive information.

We don’t know what “sharks” prowl in the dark abysses of this domain. Usually, online predators are older gamers who use gaming apps to entice and target their younger and unguarded victims. It can culminate in unseemly messages, webcam chats leading to sexual exploitation.

So many children fall prey to cyberbullying, which has serious repercussions on their confidence and mental health. According to McAfee Corp, 85% per cent of children in India have been cyberbullied – it’s the highest than any of the other countries surveyed. Of these, 45% of children were cyberbullied by a stranger while 48% said that they were cyberbullied by known people. These statistics are worrying. Children can face humiliation in social media exchanges or on gaming platforms and be subject to incessant attacks.

Technology evolves so quickly, and so many new apps come out all the time that parents get overwhelmed trying to stay informed about what their kids are using and how to protect them. At Cyber Shala, we strive to update the content regularly. That way, parents and teachers will both have a ready resource. They just have to pick up the primer and start teaching.

Are cyber security and cyber safety the same thing?

That’s a great question, and it’s something a lot of people mix up. Cybersecurity explores the technical aspects of safeguarding our devices from digital infringement. It is about protecting systems, networks, and data from threats. Firewalls, encryption, and anti-virus software are used to keep hackers and viruses at bay. It’s like building a secure fence around your digital space to keep others from trespassing.

Cyber safety alludes to appropriate online behaviour concerning our personal safety. It’s about staying safe, knowing how to spot scams, protecting personal information, and thinking twice before clicking on that “too-good-to-be-true” link. It’s more focused on you as an individual and your digital habits when there’s a large audience out there who can view everything that your parents or friends have access to.

Inculcating both cyber security and cyber safety practices is crucial, and they work together to create a safer digital space for you.

You’re a keen nature-lover yourself with a rather off-beat childhood spent living around the wild. Now we see you working fervently for reducing screen time among children by realigning them with the marvels of nature. What impact has digitalisation had on our relationship with nature? Do you feel that technology has pulled us away from life’s natural rhythms?

The digital age has brought about a lot of transformation. Post-pandemic, our lives have completely changed. In our childhood, all we had was a television set, which was again so limited. We used to entertain ourselves by being outdoors amidst nature. Waking up with the Sun, climbing trees, spending our days at the beach swimming, racing up the hills, counting stars in the infinite sky or learning about the wild habitat. How many children are still doing that? Playgrounds are empty and kids are glued to their screens with their heads bent over.   

That said, technology doesn’t have to take us away from nature. Some apps and tools encourage outdoor activities and teach us about the environment.

This mindless infatuation, especially post-COVID, with social media can be quite overwhelming for the psychological health of adults and children alike, leading to issues like depression, insomnia, anxiety, etc. How do we deal with this challenge?

Stress, social-distancing and prolonged screen time during the pandemic have certainly impacted the mental health of a large number of people negatively.

All we need to do is take a break! Step away from screens, turn off notifications and follow the circadian rhythm. It’s vital to reconnect with nature. Nature can have a very positive and therapeutic impact on our minds and bodies.

We’re burdened by overuse of smartphones and our work culture, and tend to overlook the beauty and calm that the natural world presents. Now, it has become imperative, in order to heal ourselves, to look beyond our digital screens and realign ourselves with the natural world.