Being hacked can be a deeply violating and upsetting experience for anyone; kids and adults.
The consequences of being hacked can range from being locked out of an email account to having money or private content stolen, sometimes followed by threats or blackmail.
This can be especially challenging and scary for kids, who are still learning to process their emotions and might be new to the experience that there are people with bad intentions trying to deceive them. For this reason it’s important that we are by their side to help them through it.
As a parent, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed and equally shaken when something bad happens to our child. Many of us instinctively react by getting angry or frustrated. We think this reaction is because our kids should have known better, but more often it’s because we are scared ourselves.
Remember that this kind of response (while normal) will most likely escalate the situation and upset our child more. Here is what you can do instead to safely and calmly get to the other side - one crucial online life lesson richer:
Stay calm
In any situation that creates panic, staying calm is the best way to handle it. Your child may feel distressed about losing access to their account or having valuable items stolen - like skins or weapons in a game.
As parents, we can easily jump straight into problem-solving mode, reacting out of frustration or anxiety. In doing so, we may forget to comfort and support our emotionally distressed child.
While you might feel annoyed or frustrated, it’s crucial not to blame your child. Emphasize that they didn’t do anything wrong.
Avoid blame and shame
Steering clear of scams or hackers isn’t always easy. Even experienced adults can fall victim to scams, accidentally clicking a malicious link or sharing sensitive information with cybercriminals. It can happen to anyone.
While you might feel annoyed or frustrated, it’s crucial not to blame your child. Emphasize that they didn’t do anything wrong. The fault lies solely with the criminal. Instead, learn together and focus on how to spot scams and avoid them in the future.
Validate their emotions
Children may have strong emotional reactions to losing access to a social media account they’ve worked hard to build, or to a gaming account filled with creations and valuable virtual items. To a child, an online world can feel deeply personal, and the idea of someone else gaining access to it may feel incredibly intrusive.
Parents might sometimes dismiss these losses as unimportant because they aren’t “real.”
However, for children, their attachment to virtual belongings can be just as strong as their attachment to physical ones. The best way to be supportive is by acknowledging their feelings and showing empathy for their reaction.
Is it a prank? Many kids don’t realize how serious hacking threats are and think it’s funny to prank each other in this way.
Be honest and take charge
In any crisis, children look to adults for reassurance. Calmy, let your child know that you will find a way to handle the situation. Even if you don’t know the solution immediately, you can promise to try to understand what happened and seek help from the right sources if needed.
Is it a threat or prank?
First things to consider
- Is it a prank? Many kids don’t realize how serious hacking threats are and think it’s funny to prank each other in this way.
- Could it be a friend or friends or siblings of friends? Go through a process of elimination with what knowledge the hackers have or claim to have.
- How far has it gone? Has your child actually been hacked or is it a threat?
- Can you say you are going to the police to try to fish out the hacker to discover if it’s kids or if it’s real?
- Does it need to be escalated to the police?
Getting Help
There are many reliable guides online as well as organizations that help victims of cybercrime. In some cases, involving the police may be necessary. On this website, we’ve also compiled the best advice to guide you in resolving the situation practically for different levels of seriousness.
Thank your child for coming to you
Encourage them to always come to you in the future. This way, you can help them assess the situation calmly and avoid unnecessary panic. Always remember for both fake and real threats: never respond to threats or interact with cybercriminals before going to an adult.
