Based on responses from 1,004 adults in India, the study found Indians have a strong awareness of the importance of cyber safety. And 86% say that it is important now more than ever before for parents to talk to their children about cyber safety.
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The study reveals that 68% of Indian adults believe it is important for parents to manage their children’s screen time, and 81% believe the importance of cyber safety is on par with teaching children healthy habits. Nearly three-quarters of Indian parents surveyed (78%), with children under 18, discovered their children to have done something on their smart devices without their permission.
“The most important aspect to internet safety for kids is that parents instill the right guidelines from an early age about the Internet and the potential hazards out there,” said Ritesh Chopra, Director Sales and Field Marketing, India & SAARC Countries, NortonLifeLock.
The study, while analysing how Indian households use the internet and mobile devices to stay connected with the world combined with privacy concerns, found that nearly half of the connected device owners in the country are worried about hacking. It also highlights that nearly 8 out of 10 respondents would like more information about how to keep their devices secure.
Other findings in the study point to the improvements respondents noted in their lives while working from home, with 71% of parents with children under the age of 18 stating that their relationships with their children improved. Similarly, 70% of the respondents reported improvement in their relationships with their partners. And 55% of people reported improved relations with their friends.
However, the study also found that while respondents reported that their relationships improved, 93% of people experienced technology-related issues, most commonly unreliable internet connectivity, and frequent communication issues. Yet, at least one person, nearly 78% of the respondents, living with one other person believed themself to be the IT expert of the household.