Skip Myers
The monsters hiding online aren’t the ones under the bed or behind the closet door—they’re lurking in chat rooms, gaming apps, and social platforms, waiting for just the right moment to trick, scam, exploit, or scare. As we step deeper into an era of artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and AI-driven phishing, parents and children alike must keep their digital guard up.
This year’s Halloween cybersafety message for families is simple: Vigilance isn’t scary—it’s Smart.
1. Beware of the Disguise of Digital “Friends”
Internet monsters often take the form of friendly peers, influencers, or even classmates online. In 2025, AI-generated profile pictures and synthetic identities make it harder than ever to tell who’s real.
Parents should teach kids to verify before they trust—whether that’s a gaming buddy sending a friend request, or a classmate’s “new” Insta handle. Encourage open conversations about who they meet online and make “Don’t share until you’re sure” a household motto.
2. Guard Your Personal Spooky Secrets
From names and photos to location data, a child’s digital breadcrumbs are a treasure to cyber predators. Even the smallest details revealed during a livestream or gaming chat can be used to triangulate identities.
Set your devices to the highest privacy settings, disable public geotags, and keep personal content locked down tight. When posting Halloween pictures or costume selfies, make sure identifiable/searchable backgrounds, personal information, and school logos aren’t visible.
3. Watch Out for Trick-or-Click Scams
Online scammers have become more creative than ever. AI-powered phishing can mimic voices, videos, and even text tones of trusted contacts. Children and teens are particularly vulnerable when attackers exploit curiosity or urgency with clickbait messages like “Win a free game upgrade!” or “See your costume rated by friends!”
Parents should show kids how to pause before they press, especially when links, downloads, or offers are too good to be true or come from unknown senders. Treat every email, DM, or pop-up as suspicious until proven safe.
4. Keep the Wi-Fi Haunted-Free
Public Wi-Fi is one of the most haunted places online, often filled with lurking data thieves waiting to snatch passwords, photos, and your personal information. Remind kids to avoid logging into personal accounts on public Wi-Fi connections and to never use/approve a “free” hotspot without parental oversight.
At home, enable WPA3 encryption and consider using a child-friendly VPN that filters out phishing sites and inappropriate content.
5. Arm Your Heroes with Cyber Shields
Empower kids to be their own Cyber Heroes. Tools like family safety dashboards, parental control apps, and browser AI filters can promote safer online habits without constant parental hovering.
The key is education, not fear. Turn safety into a shared adventure: create fun family quizzes, cybersecurity challenges, and story-based scenarios (like “What would you do if an Internet Monster asked for your game password?”).
A Final Word
As AI deepfake deception and algorithmic grooming escalate, teaching children to think critically before they click is the ultimate defense against malicious users and online predators.
Each generation faces new digital monsters—but through education, empathy, and vigilance, we can empower our children not just to survive online, but to thrive safely within it now and for years to come.
For additional family-friendly cybersafety lessons, explore parent workshops and free guides from organizations listed below.
Resources for Parents and Children
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
- Adam Program
- CyberTipLine
- National Sexual Assault Hotline: a service of RAINN
- Internet Safety Brigade
- Office for Victims of Crime: Providers/Community Leaders
- FBI Safe Online Surfing
- Internet Safety 101: Rules ‘N Tools Checklist
- Skip Myers Books: Go To: SkipMyersBooks