Kaspersky’s latest global research shows that mostly all people currently interact with their family members digitally: 86% of all survey participants communicate with family via messaging apps, 58% have regular video calls, and 44% have even established joint streaming service accounts. In South Africa, the statistics showed a similar trend: 91% communicate with family via messaging apps, 68% have regular video calls, and 53% have joint streaming service accounts. While digitalisation offers unprecedented convenience and flexibility in family communication, Kaspersky experts warn that this increased online connectivity demands a heightened awareness of digital safety practices and the protection of devices.
Communication in the digital sphere has become an integral part of everyday life. Thanks to video calls and instant messaging, we can maintain connections with our loved ones, no matter where we are. Digitalisation has reshaped not only how we communicate, but also how we spend our free time together. Kaspersky has conducted a survey* to reveal the common patterns of modern family life in the digital age and discover the cybersecurity challenges that lurk beneath our screen interactions.
Cyber safety during family communication
According to the survey, regular messaging via WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Viber and other messenger apps were top of users’ choices when communicating with their families. Globally, people in the 35-54 age group were the most likely to engage this way, with 89% of respondents choosing this option. Video calls were a much less popular option among all survey respondents as a way of keeping in touch with relatives, with only 58% choosing this digital solution.
Another popular way of staying connected online for many families is exchanging posts and memes on social media and messengers (53% globally and 51% in South Africa). The 18-34 age group globally leads this trend with a 58% participation rate, showcasing how humor and shared cultural references are becoming essential family bonding mechanisms.
The older generation (above 55 years old) is in general less digitally engaged than other ages, though the share of those globally who chat with their families in messengers is on par with the average (85%). 42% of this age group even exchange memes and posts via social media. Despite the fact that older people are more active in the digital sphere, they may still not be ready to face cyber threats and scams. Users should therefore educate their older relatives on how to stay safe online and use gadgets securely.
Even for advanced users, communication online carries potential cyber security risks. From phishing attempts disguised as legitimate messages to sophisticated social engineering attacks, the digital battlefield operates within our most personal communication channels. To ensure complex protection for your messengers, it’s highly recommended to enable two-factor authentication where possible, use unique, complex passwords for each account, remain skeptical of unexpected links or attachments, use a reliable security solution with anti-phishing protection for messengers, and follow security tips from Kaspersky experts.
Family accounts – convenience or risk?
The survey shows that in their free time 70% of all participating families choose to watch movies together, with 44% having family streaming accounts. Online games do not have such popularity as a family pastime, with only 35% of general respondents opting for them. In South Africa, 78% of families choose to watch movies together, 53% have family streaming accounts, and 35% choose online games as a family pastime.
While sharing streaming subscriptions and gaming accounts may seem like a cost-effective solution, it opens the door to a host of digital vulnerabilities that can compromise your family’s security and privacy, especially when an account is used by different family members under the same login and password. Such accounts create a perfect storm for security breaches. If one family member’s device is compromised, hackers gain access to the entire account. Additionally, password reuse across multiple platforms means that a single breach could expose your financial information, email accounts, and other sensitive data. To manage all passwords securely, it’s highly recommended to use a password manager for all family members.
“As our family life moves more and more online, it opens up amazing ways to stay close and create memories – but it also brings new risks, like scams and hacking. Kids and older relatives can be especially at risk, so looking out for each other online is really important. Protecting your digital privacy and using cybersecurity measures is an important way to care for your loved ones and keep your family safe”, comments Marina Titova, Vice President for Consumer Business at Kaspersky.
