Peer education can help reduce cyber security risk for teenagers

Kenyan teenagers have in recent years increasingly joined technology platforms to keep up with their friends and socialise by sharing personal information, thoughts and taking and uploading photos of themselves and their peers. This phenomenon is largely attributed to the heightened rate of Internet penetration across the country, egged on by a deepening penetration of mobile devices and computers, particularly in urban areas.

According to Data Portal, 11.8 per cent of Kenyans are between 13 and 17 years of age, while 14.2 per cent are between 18 and 24. While on the net, the youngsters don’t realise there are real dangers lurking there, with experts such as Pew Research reporting that at least 67 per cent of teens who are constantly online have been cyberbullied at some point.

Other seemingly innocuous and “protected” platforms that group children by age (you have to self-report as a child to fall into these categories) are also not safe.  Just because someone is or pretends to be your age doesn’t mean they have your best interests at heart.

The need to use the Internet has, however, been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced many schools to creatively pivot from in-person classes to online classes. Unfortunately for parents and guardians, this move to online learning, which is now increasingly becoming the “new normal” for many children during holidays, did not come with a handbook on ‘How to Navigate the Internet Safely’.

While there has been a huge increase in teens using the Internet for school and personal entertainment, potential bad actors are lurking on these same platforms. To fill the gap for their attention, my friends and I began creating a series of video programmes designed to entertain and educate them.

Known as Flash Squad, it is structured in an aspirational school environment where the students have access to mobile devices and computers and use them like others of their age would do. Incidentally, some of the students are aware of the various cyber risks that permeate the Internet and are able to advise their counterparts and show them how to navigate these treacherous pages and links.

This direction is premised on psychological rationale that shows teenagers are more likely to share unpleasant experiences with their peers than with teachers or parents.

If you have a teenager, you know how quick they are to dismiss the finger-wagging “don’t do this” lectures from adults, no matter how well-meaning. Teens tend to listen to their friends and take note of situations their peers find themselves in. We thought we could create aspirational characters, with knowledge in some digital or social subjects and who were funny, compassionate and unique, like all teens are.

We put those characters into situations where they could use their experience and empathy to help solve problems around cyber safety and security for their school, their community and friends. By telling stories of teenage vulnerability and empowerment, we could model some effective methods of navigating tough situations when they happen.

Being scammed is embarrassing and can see one lose money, but being made fun of can lead to longer term issues of damaged self-esteem and even rob a young person of their will to live. These are serious topics but if dealt with early, the long-lasting damage and subsequent personal risk from that damage can be avoided. Flash Squad was meant for families to watch together, to understand that even the coolest children get scammed, phished or bullied, and to give teens and their parents a basic understanding of some key mitigation strategies.

Flash Squad isn’t the only helpful tool for parents. There are relevant resources created by Google, Meta (Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp parent firm), the Communications Authority of Kenya, and others. As parents, we must take the time to familiarise ourselves with the resources that are freely available to help our teens be safer and more secure online (and let’s face it, we could use a little of this advice ourselves).

Ask your teens what platforms they are on and whether they have experienced a problematic situation there. Have a conversation about how they felt, what they did to stop it, or if there is anything going on today that they need help with. Having meaningful conversations with your teen is the first step in helping them understand you are there for them if they need you.

Soleil is a co-founder and president of Akili Kids!