Campus Journalist 
When we were young, our parents repeatedly warned us- “Do not talk to strangers”.
And yet, children are so curious that many a times they overlook these warnings or teachings. In this article we’ll know Why children are so vulnerable to cyber crime ?
For example–The minimum age for opening a social media account on Facebook is 13 years or more under some jurisdictions. But, children due to curiosity or peer pressure find ways to circumvent this regulation of Facebook and are then introduced to content their young minds cannot handle.
The Internet is a limitless expanse of cyberspace that cannot always be filtered or censored. Children are bound to be impacted by content not appropriate for their age. Shady websites tend to tempt children into opening them through the use of attractive icons, “clickbait” pictures and a number of other methods. By entering such websites, children encounter viruses that steal data or cause damage to hardware and software.
Also, nowadays children are falling easy victims to cyber stalking and cyber bullying. By sharing intimate and personal details on social media platforms, children attract miscreants who hide behind the anonymity provided by the Internet to exploit children. In extreme cases, children also fall victims to pedophiles. Child pornography is a menace that is on the rise.
Cyber crime isn’t the only problem lurking on the internet. Due to increasing exposure to social media, children often find themselves comparing their life to that of their peers. By doing so they focus on their flaws and this in turn leads to low self esteem and depression.
Parents and elders need to regulate their young ones’ exposure to cyberspace and keep such exposure in check.
Adults need to inform and make children children aware about the potential dangers of unregulated online activity. Children at times end up sharing phone numbers, residential addresses, important passwords that in the wrong hands can cause several problems and harm to the children.
By implementing certain controls and filters in their children’s lives in regard to the children’s online activity can go a long way in protecting children from cybercrime. We now know ‘Why children are so vulnerable to cyber crime ?’
Article By Vignesh Ganesh, G. J. Advani Law College
Editing By Mahima Gupta
This article thoroughly describes why children can easily become prey to cyber crimes. It emphasises on the curiosity and temptations of children and teenagers to open shady websites or get lured by attractive icons, which in return enables viruses to enter inside the device. The article also discusses how children are viable and can be easy prey to cyber crimes like cyber bullying and cyber stalking. It provides some ideal suggestions to avoid such situations.