Local security expert pens online safety guide with daughter to help parents

EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y. ( NEWS10 ) — Parents and children navigating the constant stream of online content now have access to a how-to guide to help better facilitate conversations. A local internet security expert enlisted the help of his teenage daughter to write a guide about online safety and security.

The father-daughter duo, Sean and Emma Atkinson, penned and published the parental guide to protect children online.

“It dawned on me that maybe I’m not the only parent to have this conversation,” said Sean.

Even with 20 years of experience on how to secure data and IT systems and being the chief information security officer at the Center for Internet Security, Sean wanted another voice. “Being 15, all my friends are on social media ,” his daughter Emma said. “I see a lot of my friends talking to people that they don’t know online. That really scares me, to be honest.”

The duo came up with 20 different scenarios, including tackling screen time, cyber bullying, privacy concerns, and even inappropriate content.

“In some cases, these conversations are not easy,” said Sean. “This is not an exhaustive guide; it’s not prescriptive. It is to provide guidance and build upon these conversations.”

The pages offer advice and thoughtful ways to open up the conversation with Emma’s input. “I think it’s definitely a ‘I’m not here to punish you’ conversation; more, like, ‘I’m just trying to keep you safe,'” added Emma.

While the constant stream of new apps may seem like an uphill battle, Sean and Emma are hoping to lead by example, showing what responsible digital citizenship can look like.

“Respectfully, in a lot of households, the child is the tech expert, and we gotta bring that into this conversation,” Sean said.

Read the latest from NEWS10:

• Pittsfield Police report increase of soliciting complaints
• Rensselaer man arrested after crash in Schodack
• ‘I could be doing more honestly’: Latina businesswoman hopes to expand her Austin empire
• Equinox hands over Thanksgiving tradition to Regional Food Bank
• 23andMe agrees to $30M settlement over 2023 data breach: How much could users get?

NEWS10 is the Capital Region’s local news leader!

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NEWS10 ABC.