Dozens
of
content
creators
center
their
channels
on
highlighting
the
differences
between
today’s
most
prominent
generations:
the
Silent
Generation,
baby
boomers,
Generation
X,
millennials,
and
Generations
Z
and
Alpha.
At
quick
glance,
no
generation
seems
to
have
much
in
common
with
the
others.
Despite
our
vastly
different
life
experiences
and
philosophies,
there’s
something
that
people
of
any
age
should
get
behind:
identity
and
online
privacy
protection.
Young
or
old,
cybercriminals
don’t
discriminate
against
who
they
target.
In
fact,
some
generations
are
more
prone
to
certain
scams
than
others.
Education
on
current
cyber
threats
is
the
first
step
to
defending
against
them.
Here’s
how
to
protect
every
member
of
the
family
against
online
threats.
Children
Cybercriminals
can
steal
identities
even
from
young
children
who
don’t
yet
have
an
online
presence.
Criminals
can
buy
Social
Security
Numbers
(SSNs)
of
minors
on
the
dark
web
or
gather
them
through
medical
record
or
school
system
breaches.
Those
SSNs
are
valuable
to
a
cybercriminal,
because
the
theft
can
go
undetected
for
years.
Since
children
aren’t
opening
credit
cards
or
applying
for
mortgages,
there’s
seemingly
no
reason
to
keep
tabs
on
their
credit
and
ensure
everything
is
normal.
To
check
up
on
the
online
safety
of
your
youngest
family
members,
it’s
never
too
early
to
start
identity
monitoring.
Also,
consider
putting
a
credit
freeze
on
your
child’s
credit.
A
credit
freeze
does
not
negatively
affect
their
credit
score.
Since
they
won’t
be
needing
it
for
several
years
anyway,
might
as
well
make
your
child’s
credit
inaccessible
to
everyone,
including
criminals.
Tweens
and
Teens
Teenagers
crave
independence.
Often
at
this
age,
parents
allow
their
teens
to
open
and
manage
their
first
email
addresses
and
social
media
profiles
independently.
It’s
an
important
life
lesson
in
organization,
responsibility,
and
digital
literacy;
however,
these
platforms
are
not
without
risks
like
cyberbullying,
fake
news,
and
social
engineering.
The
best
way
to
avoid
falling
for
each
is
through
education.
Globally,
13%
of
children
experienced
the
most
severe
forms
of
cyberbullying,
including
harassment,
physical
threats,
and
stalking.
Ensure
that
your
tweens
and
teens
who
spend
time
unsupervised
on
their
connected
devices
know
what
to
do
if
they
encounter
cyberbullying.
The
best
course
of
action
is
to
report
the
incident
to
an
adult,
and
in
the
meantime,
to
suspend
their
accounts.
To
steer
clear
of
fake
news
perpetuated
by
social
media
bots
and
social
engineering
scams,
a
safe
browsing
extension
may
protect
your
teen’s
device
from
risky
sites.
McAfee
WebAdvisor
not
only
alerts
users
to
possible
hidden
malware,
but
also
to
phishing
attempts,
which
may
be
difficult
for
teenagers
to
suss
out.
For
teens
who
are
eager
to
download
a
“free”
TV
or
video
game,
they
may
miss
the
telltale
signs
of
malicious
sites,
such
as
typos,
blurry
logos,
or
offers
that
are
too
good
to
be
true.
Adults
While
adults
typically
have
more
street
smarts
than
teens,
their
schedules
are
brimming
with
important
tasks.
Juggling
work,
social
obligations,
and
running
a
household
often
leaves
adults
feeling
like
they
don’t
have
time
to
spare.
The
feeling
that
they
have
to
rush
through
emails,
social
media
direct
messages,
and
even
dating
app
correspondences
could
increase
their
susceptibility
to
phishing,
malware,
and
computer
viruses.
The
best
advice
to
adults
to
avoid
phishing
or
malicious
bugs
is
this:
slow
down!
Take
your
time
when
you
receive
any
message
from
someone
you
don’t
know
or
have
never
met
in
person.
If
you
feel
even
an
iota
of
suspicion,
don’t
engage
any
further
with
the
sender.
Delete
the
message.
If
it’s
important,
the
person
or
organization
will
follow
up.
To
fully
protect
expensive
connected
devices
and
the
personally
identifiable
information
they
store,
consider
investing
in
safe
browsing,
antivirus
software,
and
identity
monitoring
and
restoration
services
to
catch
any
threats
that
may
have
passed
under
your
watchful
eye.
Seniors
Cybercriminals
often
seek
out
seniors
as
easy
targets
for
online
scams.
Because
they
aren’t
digital
natives
like
millennials
and
Gen
Zers,
seniors
are
typically
less
confident
in
their
online
skills.
For
example,
they
may
not
realize
that
every
email
in
their
inbox
isn’t
necessarily
sent
by
someone
with
good
intentions.
What
can
start
out
as
a
friendly
online
pen
pal
can
quickly
spiral
into
divulging
sensitive
personal
information
or
sending
huge
sums
of
money
to
a
criminal.
The
best
way
to
prepare
the
seniors
in
your
life
for
online
safety
is
to
impart
a
few,
easy-to-follow
absolutes.
Start
with
these
three
rules:
-
Never
tell
anyone
your
password.
Your
bank,
tax
filing
service,
nor
the
IRS
will
ever
need
it. -
Never
divulge
your
SSN
over
email. -
Never
send
money
to
a
stranger,
no
matter
how
much
their
“story”
tugs
at
your
heartstrings.
For
peace
of
mind,
enroll
the
seniors
in
your
family
in
identity
monitoring
and
restoration
services.
This
will
help
them
get
back
on
their
feet
if
their
identity
was
compromised
in
a
senior
scam.
The
Ultimate
Plan
to
Protect
the
Whole
Family
Get
the
whole
family
committed
to
safer
and
more
private
online
lives
with
the
help
of
McAfee+
Ultimate
Family
Plan.
The
Family
Plan
covers
up
to
six
individuals
and
protects
their
online
lives
with
an
entire
suite
of
comprehensive
privacy,
identity,
and
device
security
features.
For
example,
families
can
receive
up
to
$2
million
in
identity
theft
recovery
and
$50,000
in
ransomware
coverage.
The
plan
also
includes
preventive
measures
to
fight
online
crime,
such
as
safe
browsing
tools,
an
advanced
firewall,
unlimited
VPN,
and
antivirus
software
for
unlimited
devices.
Empower
your
whole
family
with
online
confidence
and
protection
for
their
digital
life!
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