How safe are your children online?

A hugely successful online campaign by Danish insurer Codan, part of the RSA Insurance Group, is giving families practical advice on how to stay safe when connected to the Internet

Young or old, technical-whizz or Internet-newbie, we are all increasingly exposed to malicious threats like identity theft, phishing or ransomware demands when going online.

There are many things that can keep you and your loved ones safe when browsing the web, but general awareness and understanding of these preventative measures—and indeed the very real risk that cybercrime poses—has yet to fully hit home.

Our colleagues at Codan in Demark are doing something about that with a nation-wide Online Safety campaign.

Parents were shocked by how simple it was for a ‘hacker’ to break into their children’s devices in a controlled experiment.

Research by the insurer found that parents are much more likely to counsel their children on avoiding cyber-bullying or talking to strangers online who may have malicious intent, than they are on the importance of having strong passwords or how to avoid phishing emails—simple measures that can prevent their laptop or phone being hacked or held to ransom.

“It’s frightening. Very frightening.”

To drive home the critical importance of knowing how to stay safe online, Codan filmed parents watching in shock and concern at how simple it was for a ‘hacker’—IT security expert Errit Müller—to break into their children’s devices as part of a controlled experiment.

The main Online Safety film in the Codan campaign has been watched by over two million people (around 75% of all Facebook users in Denmark).

At the same time, Codan also launched a series of supporting tutorials. Available to watch for free on Codan’s website, these online safety films provide links to expert advice on topics like protecting your online identity and wifi and web security.

Incredible national coverage

Driven primarily through social media, the main Online Safety film was watched by over two million people (around 75% of all Facebook users in Denmark) in the first few days of its launch in March. This resounding success recently earned it a spot on national primetime news.

Finally, Codan has also designed a range of online security insurance products to further help tackle the issues raised by their research.

While practicing good online security at all times is the best way to prevent becoming the victim or a cyber criminal, having the right insurance cover can help individuals and families lessen the damage and recover more quickly from an attack.