We speak with Trend Micro’s Myla Pilao on the topic cyber hygiene and digital literacy for children. Why is cyber hygiene a growing concern? How can we encourage a healthy online space for our children? Which questions should we be asking them? Myla answers these questions and more while introducing us to cyber hygiene tools for parents and children created by Trend Micro’s passionate team.
Watch the interview or read the full transcript below.
Myla Pilao – Director for Technology Marketing at Trend Micro
Myla Pilao heads the division at Trend Micro that monitors the security threat landscape, including high-profile attacks and prevalent Internet security threats. She is a strategic communicator, relationship builder and cyber security expert with over a decade of global leadership experience. Passionate about bridging technology, security, and empathy, she is an active supporter and advocate for the protection of children online and stopping the online commercial distribution of inappropriate images of children.
She holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the National University in Singapore and a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Letters, major in Communication Arts, from the University of Santo Tomas.
Transcript of Interview
[00:00:00] Nathan Navidzadeh: Today, we’re sitting with Myla Pilao, the Global Director for Technology Marketing at Trend Micro, a multinational cybersecurity product company, to talk to us about cyber hygiene for kids and families. Myla is a cybersecurity expert and leads the division of Trend Micro that monitors the security threat landscape, including high profile attacks and Internet security threats. She’s also an active supporter and advocate for the protection of children online. Myla, welcome.
[00:00:35] Myla Pilao: Thanks, Nathan. Happy to be here.
[00:00:38] Nathan Navidzadeh: Happy to have you, could we start first by just explaining to the audience what we mean by cyber hygiene and and digital literacy for children?
[00:00:49] Myla Pilao: Correct. I think there are two interpretations for that. One is an adult and one is for the children. So maybe definitely the overarching to me of cyber hygiene is that having to be able to practice and inspire what we call digital responsiblility on the context of adults like us who are actually the ones guiding right now and for the kids as well on how they actually use it. So to me, that’s really the key area how we can have a virtual space and an environment where we don’t both lose sight of what we call the values or the norms and practices.
[00:01:25] Nathan Navidzadeh: Very good. So if we kind of talk about what that means practically speaking then, is that, are we talking about screen time for children? Are we talking about safe and unsafe practices? Oversharing? What, what does that look like?
[00:01:40] Myla Pilao: I’ll try to simplify it also with SEE right? So see, S for me is like at the end of the day, there must be security. The mental model should be whatever is online today will stay online forever. There’s no delete, no control, no nothing, right, it’s there. The E portion is a lot about education, right? We want the kids and the, obviously the youth to be able to embrace and really empower themselves online. But educating is key. And the last E to me is non-negotiable, which is digital ethics. We should be able to also exercise or at least guide a lot of our very young people to be able to behave ethically online. It’s not just, you know, physical, but really online. And this is really formed in the value of teaching them respect, not just to others, but also to themselves. Right? So to me, those are very important. The respect to privacy, the respect to feelings, and of course the respect to proper use of technology.
[00:02:40] Nathan Navidzadeh: Very good. And, and so why is cyber hygiene becoming a growing concern? I mean, I know it’s been around for a little while, but it’s, it’s starting to, become more important these days. Why would you say?
[00:02:53] Myla Pilao: I’m sure we’re not new to that conversation that, especially during 2020 onwards, which is essentially the overarching pandemic that we’ve been to, there is a steady rise for sure of not just online activity, but also exposing the children to a lot of online digital threats. One of the things that I could probably quote is there is a growing concern because there are real negative, both physical, emotional, and the technological implications of why there is this kind of discussion, right? A study by our friends from DQ Institute, who’s always been championing a lot of, you know digital safety set about six out of 10 children have regular exposure to this online threats or online attacks. So I think to me that is a really more profound way of saying that there is a growing concern because there are real world cases where children really are being subjected to this kind of threats.
[00:03:54] Nathan Navidzadeh: So are we talking about online threats that, that turn into real life?
[00:04:01] Myla Pilao: Yeah.
[00:04:01] Nathan Navidzadeh: Implications. Yeah. I would imagine there’s also, you know, mental health, mental health issues arising due to a poor cyber hygiene. Yeah. You know, impact on education. Do you have any, could you elaborate on that a little bit as well?
[00:04:20] Myla Pilao: For sure. So one of the things that you already mentioned let’s take up on the mental health, right? So that is a physical manifestation, that there is a concern, which means that one of the biggest concerns right now is can you actually sit a kid right now, or even us as adults? Can you sit us without just, you know, multi-tasking or hovering to our phone etc? So that is focus and sharpness is really lessening a little bit, right? The also the bigger issue that we’re facing right now in terms of mental health is the wellness itself, right? How can we get them to concentrate? How can we get them to really you know you know, remove some of these things that are, they’re just so attached to technology and there’s nothing wrong. It’s just that it’s overly so attachment.
[00:05:02] Myla Pilao: The other bigger concern. When we scale up the things is also, we’ve heard this for over many years now, cyber bullying it is nothing new, but of course the dent of cyber bullying right now, where it becomes more severe, right, is also very alarming. So that’s one other effect. And then let’s not loosen up also on the very day to day things, for example, practical safety, let’s say, you know just making sure that when you’re online, you are safe, you know making sure that when you transfer files, when you share information, you’re sharing it to a safe environment. So to me, those are the scale of probably concerns on cyber hygiene challenges.
[00:05:43] Nathan Navidzadeh: Very good. Bringing it back to the cyber bullying just a little bit. I mean, is there any way that we can know if our kid is being cyber bullied, like behavioral changes or apps that we could use to help track or censor kind of what they’re doing? What, what would you suggest?
[00:06:00] Myla Pilao: Yeah. Well, full disclosure. I’m not a parent, so let me take it on probably on a personal level. Cause like, there’s a lot of multiple tips and, and guidance from lot of adults like us. You know, one of my nephews, oh my God, he’s gonna hear this, but it’s okay. When he was very young we didn’t know that he was bullied for a couple of years. You know, and this is what maybe 10 years ago, right? Yeah.
[00:06:26] Myla Pilao: So to me, the the manifestations probably of what we’ve learned from the very challenging experience is number one is normally kids behave on a regular, I mean, they have regular habits. They have regular hobbies. They, they, they pretty much, you know, you can tell from day to night what they will do. The one big thing is that when they start breaking that, when they start exhibiting something that they were not doing before, that they’re doing right now.
[00:06:52] Myla Pilao: So that for me is a big, big sign. The second one is they try to be very reclusive, right. Especially for someone is an extrovert and is suddenly to become so introverted, right. So they, they, they don’t handle conversation, make some conversations. So those are defining both portions. And then at least on my, on my, on my experience, there’s also physical manifestation usually, which means a big part of it is the appetite. They lose the appetite. You know, they don’t wanna go out anymore, things like they feel that there is something hovering around them. To me, that was the, some of the key key areas that we’ve seen so far as a manifestation.
[00:07:31] Nathan Navidzadeh: Hmm. Interesting. And, and in terms of an active way to kind of check that, obviously, you know, asking your, your child is probably the most direct way if, if you have that relationship with your, with your kid, but I would imagine there’s also apps or tracking apps or censoring kind of, is there any kind of technology that can be used in the least intrusive way to keep an eye on, on what what’s happening with them?
[00:07:58] Myla Pilao: Yeah. Yeah. And I think you brought up a topic that obviously comes close to our heart in technology world. A lot of the tools that we have right now, both commercially and non- commercially have far advanced mechanisms to protect our kids in a very non intrusive way as you said, the basic one is just, you know, let’s not go to very techy, but putting on your location. You know, that is very, very important, even for all of us, right. The second portion is that there are a lot of parental controls that engages the kid to say, which sites are we gonna visit? What schedule do we wanna build for you? Right. Make that an activity between you and kids when you design that application in terms of parental control. So it’s not done behind their back and suddenly they can no longer view the site.
[00:08:44] Myla Pilao: Right? Mm-hmm have a conversation, is two hours a time is a good one? Then we set that portion. And the third one is that there are built in applications that have security number built in with if God forbid, if there’s an emergency, it’s just one click away. So make sure we install that, and, and again, the kids are trained not to fear those apps or be their savior, but if they need it, don’t hesitate to ping it, right. So those are very much available right now. Commercially.
[00:09:18] Nathan Navidzadeh: Very good. If we turn it around now though and think about the, the bullies are the bullies even aware that they’re bullying? You know, if you’re a kid is one of those bullies mm-hmm what can parents do to help help prevent them from bullying?
[00:09:40] Myla Pilao: You know, it’s kind of tough when we look at the cyber bullying, I think we have to make a considerable understanding that there are two victims in this situation. It is not just the person who was bullied, but as you said, the person who was also bullying is a victim, right? I, I’m a true believer that people always are that have the goodness in their heart, right? So we need to understand that there are two victims in this situation. The second portion is just really to have a conversation regularly. Most of the time, by the time that you enter your door at home, right, just as basic as how’s your school? How’s the kids around you, right? These are sometimes mundane questions, but to the kid, if I’m given that and I just need to start talking, that’s a strong question that really allow me to take on that conversation. So constantly have that conversation. It doesn’t have to be a formal sit down.
[00:10:37] Myla Pilao: The second portion is we have to teach really the kids to empower themselves and to start building their confidence online. And again, Building their confidence doesn’t always mean being aggressive, right. Building their confidence is knowing how to treat others. But also how do you dispose? I mean, what disposition you should do when you just want to say no or stop, right? So maybe those are the key things that we really need to somehow focus on and do a little bit.
[00:11:08] Nathan Navidzadeh: Interesting. Yeah. It’s like a, it’s a mix of teaching empathy. And also empathizing mm-hmm with your kid at the same time. That it’s so tricky cuz I, you know, I remember growing up you know, with some of my friends who were essentially bullying other, other people and none of us kind of really realized it, some of us might have realized it a little bit.
[00:11:36] Myla Pilao: Mm-hmm
[00:11:37] Nathan Navidzadeh: But then years later having the same conversation and with those same bullies quote unquote, they were like, you know, I didn’t even realize I was bullying. Most of the time they don’t even know. And they didn’t have those conversations with their parents. Nobody was checking in with them about kind of what was going on in their day to day lives at school and all of that. And then There you go. And so it’s kind of after the fact a bit too late, but still they, you know, my, my friends, at least who felt like they were bullying others apologized and, and all of that after the fact, I mean, many, many years later, but and, and this isn’t cyber bullying, right? This is this is before cyber bullying, but yeah. I wonder how much easier cyber bullying might occur, and discounted you know, kind of, you know, discounted as not being real bullying, you know?
[00:12:33] Nathan Navidzadeh: Do you think there’s a higher occurrence of, of bullying happening online compared to in person or, I mean, I don’t know if we know?
[00:12:42] Myla Pilao: That’s quite an interesting question, Nathan. I obviously do not have statistics on both what’s happening online versus offline. What, what I know is definitely on an online perspective, whatever the, the, the conduct of bullying is very different compared to the one on the street, right? Because in online, obviously we carry a mask, right. People really have a mask. They have many different persona, it made it so easy right now to create so many identities. I always say that I can be omnipotent, right. I can be talking to you right now while chatting with friends.
[00:13:25] Myla Pilao: So, so to me, I think the volume is definitely wider and broader online. But we cannot disregard the fact that it is happening on the streets it’s happening in the playground, maybe happening in the school. Right. So the fundamental thing is that question is what triggers, you know, both the victim and the bully to be able to do that, right? Because that that’s not their natural self at the end of the day.
[00:13:53] Nathan Navidzadeh: Yeah. Yeah, no, that’s so true. It’s it’s a little scary too. I mean, I was talking to Bill Malik actually from Trend Micro oh yeah. You know, Bill. Yeah. So he, we were talking about the Metaverse and cybersecurity. Oh, mm-hmm and I mean, this just raises the same concerns, right? I mean, there’s cyber bullying already. Now once there’s a Metaverse or there’s even more technology and it’s even more involved, what that’s gonna shape into. And, and I feel like you are, you are you’re targeting the, the, the root of it, right? You’re talking about the conversations that need to happen, how both the bully and, and the person being bullied are, are victims of the scenario.
[00:14:36] Nathan Navidzadeh: And it really needs to be addressed at that root conversations and, and empathy with one another. So I, I, I love that because regardless of the changes in technology, whether we have a Metaverse or not, all of these points will always be true. I think at least!
[00:14:53] Myla Pilao: It reminds you of, you know, it all reminds us when we’re talking to our elders, no matter how young or old you’re right now, it’s all about values, right? So, so to me that was that’s all that we wanted to impose. I mean, not impose, but, you know, articulate and reinforce as let’s just go back to the values that we have.
[00:15:12] Nathan Navidzadeh: Yeah, absolutely. Even though they might change a little bit with the growing technologies, but the cores are there. Yeah. So, so in that vein then you know, what are some good questions to ask kids? You touched on some of them already, but what are some good questions to ask kids to help them develop their cyber hygiene and, and anti-bullying practices altogether?
[00:15:33] Myla Pilao: Okay. Again, I I’ll draw from my own experience. I have two nieces and two nephews, they can be very interactive and they can be crazy. I always tell them two things. One is, you know, it’s, it’s, it’s, we’ve heard this over and over again, but it’s true. Just think before you click, think before you react, think before you post, right, is this end of the day gonna benefit the receiver? Right. So, so to me, it’s fundamental. The second portion that, you know, we probably need to reinforce to the kids is practice safety all the time on time. And I’ll repeat that: practice safety all the time and on time. Right. Because you know, one part of the hat that I wear is I handle Trend Micro research. So Metaverse and all these things comes really close to our hearts. On an attacker’s point of view, it only takes about 5 to 10 seconds to get them into and that they be able to get into you rather.
[00:16:28] Myla Pilao: So that’s why I meant by, we have to make sure that on time we have safety all the time. And the third area is to me when we ask kids about, you know, cyber hygiene is to go back to practical steps. Have you changed your passwords? You know, things that, you know, pretty much they, they really just have to know think about privacy, what you can and cannot share. Right. And if you own it, you can share it, if you don’t own that information, why you’re sharing it? Right. So, so maybe those are four things that we can ask, you know, kind of kids. And you know, what also helped me I’ve learned over time is to do some scenario building, right. So when you talk to your kids, try to build scenarios.
[00:17:09] Myla Pilao: So what if someone asks you this way, what would you do? Right. So it becomes really a more simulated one. And, you know, you can see the genuine sort of action that they will do if you’re not around. Right. So I think that those are good, good kind of way to simulate those questions to them.
[00:17:27] Nathan Navidzadeh: I feel like those questions are also useful for adults. Sometimes we don’t realize, and, and maybe we need a, maybe we need a resource to help educate us on, on some of these questions and the answers of some of these questions.
[00:17:42] Nathan Navidzadeh: But you know, outside of questions, I mean, what about the devices and the apps that are being used? You know, what can we do to minimize cybersecurity breaches in, in that regard?
[00:17:54] Myla Pilao: You know, apps have been, I remember when we started looking into the security of apps made more than 15 years ago, it was very easy, right because you can almost attest. You can have the time to update them, but right now it’s just all over at the, any given time, there’s about a hundred to 200 apps being created. Right? So to me, the most important thing is number one is just download on the right marketplace on the down the proper download platform. The second one is remember. We normally skim through the application in three steps, we’re able to have, we’re able to download and install that app, but we sometimes misread the important permissions that are already built in. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of the application developers and suppliers have developed security already, right?
[00:18:39] Myla Pilao: It’s just that we sometimes prefer efficiency and speed over security. So some of them are not by default sadly, so we need to train kids. How do you look at which permission should really apply? And it’s not rocket science, permission has turned off the location, turn off the contacts, turn on that microphone and all of the storage, right? So those are very simple. And the third one, I think in the, in the use of application and devices, it’s non-negotiable that they have to have built in security. There’s nothing that will protect if this blanket is not there. Right? So most of the time, that’s the first thing we, this and install, but in, in this time and age security really is our best friend pretty much.
[00:19:26] Nathan Navidzadeh: And it’s, it’s probably tricky to, to kind of incorporate this advice sometimes, right? I mean, if your child is just as, just as free reign with their phone and there’s this new app that came out social media app and all their friends are getting it and so they just download it themselves. Like you said, speed over looking over the security settings or the permissions it’s just click yes, yes, yes. I wanna use this app. They don’t look at the permissions. Is there anything that we can do to help solve issues that might arise? You know, after the fact? Let’s say they’ve installed it, you know, what practices are good to work with your, your children in that.
[00:20:05] Myla Pilao: To me, the number one is the, the kids don’t have access to the devices, right? The devices is pretty much owned and monitored by the adults. So one thing key is that if they want applications, if they want some of these tools installed, they have to do it with the adult. Right because you’re correct. We cannot expect the kids to really go through those portion. Right. So that, to me, that’s a number one thing. The second portion as adults, we need to be able to get that tool. We need to be able to put that permissions in all the devices that they do, that they cannot just automatically download the tools and apps that they have.
[00:20:42] Myla Pilao: In the event, okay, in the event that they’re able, as you said, it’s an after effect already. The key thing right now is to make sure number one is uninstall immediately some of these informations or some of these applications, do a runtime scan make sure that you scan it to make sure that nothing else is, is left. Right? That is, but that portion is assuming that it was breached, right. One of the, you know, day to day, things that they can do is just literally get your phone or whatever device that you’re doing and just do a regular scan and update so that you can see what is the vulnerability that you have. Are there unsecured applications that they suddenly downloaded without proper protection? So normally a lot of the security scanning takes not more than a minute already. So you know, that that’s the daily thing that we adults should do so that in every device that they use we have that peace of mind that we’ve done all the hygiene check before we hand it off to the kids.
[00:21:42] Nathan Navidzadeh: Perfect. Yeah. And I, I would imagine that kind of gated procedure would also mitigate any issues with downloading apps outside of, when you say proper marketplaces you mean, you know, with Google, like the Google Play Store, Apple’s iStore like all that stuff, as opposed to other sources, just a website online that doesn’t have anything checked. Okay. Yeah. So you would have that but again, it happens, right? Let’s say if if the only way that they can download an app is by signing in, and they need your password to sign in to download that app, for example, at a specific marketplace. I wonder, does that encourage them to go and, and sneakily download it from a website that provides it outside? Is there ways to, to change that on the phone settings to not allow those kinds of apps to be installed? You know, can a parent set a password, I guess, for the app itself? Is that what you mean when you say the app, the device is owned by the adult. Does it go that far as well? In terms of, okay. If you’re gonna install anything on this phone, you need my password that you don’t have.
[00:22:49] Myla Pilao: Yeah. Yeah. Like, and I get you, they, they can be very tricky, right. We’ve seen a lot of horror stories. Maybe the best protection definitely is that if they are using a valid and an active security solutions in any of the devices, they for one should not even worry about their kids attempting to go to a website that is very dangerous, right. Because that’s the work of supposedly your security solution provider. Right. That’s why I said that’s non-negotiable so they do the first job.
[00:23:17] Myla Pilao: The second portion is authentication. So what if it’s valid? There’s nothing wrong, but again set up a lot of authentication, like a two tier authentication. So they don’t just get your password, which I’m sure you know, they can creatively be able to do that, but do another tier of authentication, whether it’s OTP, whether it’s your fingerprint, you know, so that there is proper control and steps also, right. And the third one is non-negotiable. Do an inventory all the time. Right? My nephew just downloaded Roblox, to me is okay. But you know, it takes a lot of access. So, so to me, have that conversation, is this something that you need, is this something that you want, you know, you know, get them engaged in choosing the right one, you know, there, the technology is one, but also really getting them in involved rather than in the past it’s always control. Right? Don’t do this. Don’t do that.
[00:24:12] Nathan Navidzadeh: Keep them involved. Yeah. If we think about also, you know, public or school Wi-Fi is that a concern at all? Because we’re, we’re connected to the Internet everywhere that we go now. What other kinds of issues or threats emerge when, when children’s devices are connected to, to public Wi-Fi?
[00:24:34] Myla Pilao: You know, one of the things that, you know, the pandemic has brought us a little bit more in a beneficial way is really having a really, really good infrastructure. You know, when we all started, of course we, we didn’t, we don’t have this, you know, and the organization that obviously jump into that are really the academic, the schools, because they know that they have to be able to protect a lot of these kids. So, number one, to your questions of whether they are equally vulnerable when they use Wi-Fi, yes, of course, right. Even in a corporate network, there’s still a level of vulnerability involved. So to me, when we, when we encourage the kids to be able to use the public Wi-Fi or the school Wi-Fi let’s give them, I think much of the protection has already been built in, the rest is like a this is like a marathon race or a a rally, right. We’ve passed now the baton to the user, and what practices today to exhibit so that they can also be protected. Right?
[00:25:33] Myla Pilao: So some of these things, for example, is that when you, we have to recognize that we are, if we are using a public network, whether it’s school or just at a cafe or a guest of one company, we have to be cognizant that let’s not do or transact anything that we think is really critical and important. For example, sharing my boss, the name list I got from an event, right. So we have to be cognizant that once the, the higher, the sensitivity of the information that needs to be done in a corporate or a closed environment. And similarly, when we put it in the analogy of the kids, it’s the same thing, right? So, so if you need to be able to, you know, share this information, et cetera, it has to be in a closed somehow environment. So, but much of them, as I said, have been somehow the good news is there’s a couple of built in security infrastructure right now that sits there.
[00:26:26] Nathan Navidzadeh: Very good. Yeah. Touching again on, on kind of oversharing of information or sensitive information and how kids need to also be aware of that. Do you have any other tips or advice maybe when it comes to, you know, social media sharing on social media or the settings on social media? You know, the, the, all the photo apps that exist now, you know, should kids, you know, some tips on, on how kids should be careful in that regard, when it comes to again, oversharing and tips on what they can do to either prevent the oversharing from happening or to really know what they’re doing.
[00:27:10] Myla Pilao: You’re touching on something that I think we will get into a controversial conversation with a lot of the kids right now, because pretty much they share everything, right. That’s pretty much where we are. To me again, I will go back to the point of conversation. Is this something number one for me, is that, is this your property, right? And I think that that line is so blurry right now. If I take a picture of you right now, and me at the moment by default, if I wanna post it online by default, is that I should ask you if you’re comfortable, because it’s not just me. Right? So similarly for the kids, if there’s something that they wanna share online and it’s just not them give the courtesy to other person. It is okay with you, right? Because there’s a lot of mechanisms right now to blur it, to remove it, to edit it. Right. The second portion is I always go back and say: is this something that will benefit?
[00:27:59] Myla Pilao: Is this something that will put somebody in a negative way or be looked at in a negative way? Right. So it’s always the afterthought, right? In terms of technology there are a couple of, you know, settings already there that are already built in, for instance, if I’m already using my camera right now, there is already a lot of technology that I can do that live update in one click so you can disable that, right. So that if you’ve accidentally been, you know, walking around and suddenly people know that you’re in the grocery. Yeah. You can set that portion, disable that. Right. So there are a lot of those permissions that gives us a little bit more safety. The other one is from photo sharing from your personal device or to the cloud.
[00:28:44] Myla Pilao: So to me, those are things that we need to really pay a little bit more attention, especially on our devices. So they are already built in. Sadly, we don’t somehow use it or at least pay attention to, oh, there, there, I didn’t know. Right. So the sharing part not just on the photo, but also on your device and also on your storage are very, very important. They, they should be by default disabled.
[00:29:09] Nathan Navidzadeh: I would imagine location also when you post anything per you know, on an app to app basis, they might have settings as well, right. To allow the locations to be, yeah. Yeah. That’s a lot to look out for. You know, you know, if, is what you’re sharing, gonna put you in direct danger. I, I wonder if having that kind of conversation with your child is also important, just so they think about it before they post something, you know? Is this going to tell somebody that I don’t want to know where I am currently and, and all of that. So because all the apps kind of do that by default right now, if you don’t specifically tell them not to. Yeah. So it’s a lot of tips. It’s a lot of great advice. It’s a lot of things that we need to incorporate into our daily lives when we have children, even for ourselves.
[00:29:57] Nathan Navidzadeh: Is there anywhere that we can go to help us with that? I know Trend Micro has a lot of different tools and resources. Now that they’re, that that are being built or that have been built with with cyber hygiene. Could you tell us a little bit more about about them?
[00:30:14] Myla Pilao: Sure, thank you. So on the education portion, we’re very passionate about that. We, we, you know, our, our organization is pretty much built on education for the last 30 plus years, as we learn, as we test and we make mistakes, we try to educate and through education, we’re able to really pass on some of the things that I’ve been telling you for a couple of minutes now, part of the education that we have is we have a promise ourselves to really protect Internet, I mean the, I mean, the kids and their families online, it’s something that we’ve been doing for almost I guess 10 to 15 years right now. Last year we’ve launched what we call Cyber Academy, it’s part of our Internet safety for kids and family platform.
[00:30:53] Myla Pilao: This is a two to three minute interactive, fun, and very sweet education program that is catered to parents, adults, teachers, and even for, for sure, the kids right in different ages and category. So we’ve listened a lot to what people are saying, that “stop giving me PowerPoint. Stop giving me a 20 minute presentation.”
[00:31:15] Myla Pilao: So this are interactive. I’m sure you will also enjoy doing that. So, what we did is an assessment. So again, kids know, oh, what is my risk level? And then teach them. So you’re more vulnerable because of A, B, C. Right? So that’s one of the things that we’ve been doing. It’s been translated in many different countries, or languages rather. So it’s really free. It’s and use it, maximize it and repurpose it. Let’s all we encourage, even the schools and the teachers and the parents to do. That’s definitely one. The second portion is we have a lot of online free tools where they can just read, download and stay, obviously very safe.
[00:31:54] Myla Pilao: Number one is one of the things I always get asked is Myla, I don’t know whether this website is good or not. I can never tell that. And my answer to them is that’s correct. It is not something native, you can’t see a website and just claim it’s bad. Right? So there is a tool that we have right now that allows you to check it before you even proceed or do any transaction. Right. And now you call it our Site Safety Center. So you can just put the website there and it gives you the confidence go ahead or no, don’t, block it. Right? The other one I talked about is, you know, part of hygiene is building the regular day to day, sort of discipline. We have online scanning tools for your mobile, for your desktop, or even for your big computers, right. That allows you to really do a daily scanning. So, you know how much have been installed or otherwise. Right. So, so to me, those are three important sort of, they’re not just free, but they’re safe, but we’d love the community to really use it and give us also the feedback so we can continue to iterate it.
[00:33:00] Nathan Navidzadeh: Oh, that’s fantastic. I had the opportunity to to look at the academy because you, as you said, it’s free. So I was looking at the, the, I love the, the questions that it provides. So there was like a, a great video that introduced everything. But then I love the kind of interactive portion, right. It was really, it’s really built for, like you said, the parents, the teachers to have the conversations with the kids. So it’s first and foremost for the kids to watch and enjoy and learn. But then it also provides the tools to make the, to make it easier for the adults to ask those important questions and to build those conversations with their, with their kids. And I, I loved that aspect of it. I saw it and I was like, this is, this is good. This helps me, you know, I don’t always know what I, what I need to ask. And so this is, this is really good. So I really appreciate that and all the tools.
[00:33:46] Myla Pilao: And I think the credit there, Nathan is really the work of many, many Internet safety for kids, volunteers here in Canada. We’re obviously very much available if you need any one of us to train you to go to the school, just to have a regular 10 or 20 minute conversations. A lot of my peers, that I think the word right now, shout out, are definitely there. Debbie, Caitlin, Frank, Melanie, and, and all of these people have been, Antwan, would lovingly support really the safety of, you know, our kids and our families here in Canada. So tap us, connect with us and let’s have a conversation to teach the kids to be not just online, but be awesome online.
[00:34:23] Nathan Navidzadeh: I love that. Thank you so much. Trend Micro, I mean, you guys, you know, but been obviously in the cybersecurity game for a very, very long time. So it’s fantastic to see initiatives like this as well to help our families and, and children and everybody. So thank you again. Did you have any questions for us Myla before, anything else you wanted to touch on before I let you go? Did we miss anything?
[00:34:45] Myla Pilao: Nothing much. I guess we’ve covered it. And I love the conversation of circling into both technology safety, but also how do we kind of, hopefully to me, it’s always whatever we’re doing right now is maybe will not serve us in our current generation, but we need to invest the same amount because it’s gonna benefit the next online generation. Right. So it’s all about protecting them in the future too.
[00:35:10] Nathan Navidzadeh: Absolutely. Okay. Then with that, I think we can end our conversation. Thank you again so much. It was wonderful having you here.
[00:35:17] Myla Pilao: Thank you.
