Staying Safe On The Internet: What Single Parents Need To Know

Being a single parent is hard. It is estimated there are currently ​22 million children being raised by single parents in the United States. The responsibility to provide and protect falls solely on the shoulders of one person instead of two. While juggling all of the responsibilities that come with being a single parent, monitoring your child’s online presence and activities may fall through the cracks. But it shouldn’t.  Children are more connected to the internet than ever before. One study revealed 90% of children have at least one device that allows them to access the internet. And unless their online activities are heavily monitored or restricted, they have access to just about any website out there.  The same study showed 40% of children have interacted with at least one stranger online, often divulging personal information or contact details. And a shocking 15% of children revealed they had tried to meet with a stranger they met online.  Monitoring a child’s online activities is a serious matter, and it’s twice as hard for a single parent to take on. Single parents have a lot on the line when it comes to keeping their personal information safe online. There is more personal information being stored online than ever before. Social security numbers, banking details, personal information and contact details — these are only a few examples of the information out there that can easily fall into the wrong hands online.   A Clark School study at the University of Maryland showed there is a hacker attack every 39 seconds. Hackers don’t discriminate when it comes to what accounts they’re hacking, or the devices they’re hacking into. If you have any personal or sensitive information stored somewhere on the internet, there is a chance a hacker may get access to it.  Cybercrime is a lucrative business. So much so that it has become more profitable than the global illegal drug trade. And 72% of Americans say having their personal, credit card or financial information stolen by computer hackers is their biggest fear. If the sensitive information of a single parent falls into the wrong hands, it is not only the parent that is affected, but their children too.

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