Another tip in a series provided by the Offices of Information Security, Information Systems & Computing and Audit, Compliance & Privacy

In celebration of Take Our Children to Work Day and Benjamin Franklin’s innovative spirit, the Office of Information Security invites you and your children aged 4-15 to Kite Day on April 24, 2025, at Houston Hall Penn Commons, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

The event raises awareness about key information security concepts while you enjoy kite flying and coloring with your children, colleagues, and family.

During the event, and while coloring their kites, you can talk to your child about:

• Setting a strong PIN when accessing a mobile device and not sharing it with anyone. Their information is a treasure that must be kept in a locked vault and kept hidden from those looking to steal their information. 
• Directing all calls claiming to come from a bank, school, or government office to you without sharing any information. Your child can hang up or not answer the phone if they do not recognize the number. 
• Consulting with you before opening a social media account. Although most social media accounts allow children 13 years and older to join, children may register while providing parents with information. Teach your children to set their social media accounts to accept only people they know.
• Avoiding posting pictures while on vacation or away from home. It could reveal that the family is out of town. 
• Downloading apps only from a trusted App Store. Some apps carry viruses. Your child may learn about the benefits of the apps with you or from a teacher before downloading it. 
• Be cautious playing with people they do not know in multiplayer games. Malicious individuals often pretend to be children or teenagers to gain trust, luring them to share information or meet secretly. 

For information security awareness topics, visit https://www.isc.upenn.edu/security/aware.  

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For additional tips, see the One Step Ahead link on the Information Security website: https://isc.upenn.edu/security/news-alerts%23One-Step-Ahead.