Kids Want Spotlight: Study Shows Blogging As META Kids’ Top Career Choice
In an era where digital technology is at the fingertips of every child from a young age, a significant number of youngsters in the Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa (META) region aspire to become bloggers. A study by Kaspersky reveals that 42% of children surveyed harbour dreams of blogging, with nearly half of them (44%) either actively working on their blogs or planning content for future ventures.
This ambition is largely driven by the allure of popularity, as indicated by 53% of the respondents, while 46% find joy in creating video content. Moreover, a notable 36% view blogging as an easy route to financial gain, and 32% are drawn to it because it's considered trendy.
Despite the enthusiasm of young aspiring bloggers, parental support varies. Only 16% of parents are in full support of their children's blogging aspirations, whereas 44% would prefer their kids to wait until they're older.
However, a quarter of parents are opposed to a blogging career for their offspring. On the brighter side, a substantial 74% of parents either support or do not object to their children's blogging activities.
Seifallah Jedidi, Kaspersky's Regional Head for the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa, notes, "Regardless of parents' opinions on blogging, creating, maintaining, and promoting a blog is a difficult task, which requires a wide range of skills that could be useful for a child's future career. It can help young people to discover their creativity and ways to express themselves. Blogging also provides mom and dad with valuable insights into their children's lives, bringing families closer together."
Guidelines for Safe and Secure Blogging
To assist both parents and young bloggers in navigating the blogging world safely, Kaspersky has compiled a set of recommendations. Protecting social media accounts, the primary tool for bloggers, is paramount.
This includes activating two-factor authentication to guard against unauthorized access. Creating strong, unique passwords for each account is also crucial. Young bloggers need to be educated on privacy concerns, such as the risks of sharing personal information online, including IDs or geotags, which could compromise their safety.
Engaging with followers requires caution, and young bloggers should be prepared to deal with unwelcome interactions by ceasing communication or blocking suspicious users. To further enhance security, Kaspersky recommends the use of tools like Kaspersky Premium to protect against cyber threats.
The insights from this study, conducted by the Toluna research agency upon Kaspersky's request, stem from interviews with 10,000 participants (5,000 parent-child pairs with children aged 3 to 17 years) across Türkiye, South Africa, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in 2023-2024. This data sheds light on the aspirations of young individuals in the digital age and the critical role of cybersecurity in their endeavours.
While parental attitudes towards this career choice vary, the underlying theme is the importance of supporting young bloggers in their pursuits. This support, coupled with a strong foundation in cybersecurity practices, will ensure that children can explore their creativity and express themselves in the digital world securely.
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