Experts Outline How to Protect Teens in the Digital Age
At Russia’s Internet Forum, cybersecurity specialists argued that digital hygiene, biometric authentication, and open dialogue with teens are key to online safety.
On September 26, the Russian Internet Forum turned its spotlight on how to shield adolescents from digital threats. Elizaveta Belyakova, head of the Alliance for the Protection of Children in the Digital Environment, emphasized the need for a trust-based dialogue with teenagers and new approaches to digital education.
Tamara Chechetkina, who leads VK’s cyberculture division, shared lessons from literacy projects targeting young audiences. She said game-based learning and engaging students themselves as “peer experts” proved most effective. Another trend she highlighted: moving away from passwords entirely. Instead, she pointed to SMS codes, authenticator apps, and, ideally, biometric authentication.
Alexander Lunev, who runs Yandex’s awareness and infosec culture group, presented tools aimed at raising digital literacy. Among them: a child ID that blocks access to adult-only content, and “Digital Primer,” a school program teaching kids how to recognize and avoid risks.
Moscow’s Department of Information Technology showcased an AI-powered service called “Call Yourself Back.” Project leader Valentina Shilina explained that the open chat tool lets teens check messages, links, and images for hidden cyberthreats.
Speakers stressed that simply knowing the rules isn’t enough—teens must be able to apply them in real-world settings. That means major platforms need to curb harmful content, prevent weak password use, and block suspicious links.
The consensus: only joint efforts can build a genuine culture of cybersecurity, and the most powerful defense will always be an open, trusted dialogue with teenagers.
Earlier this year, the domestic messenger MAX announced a new “Safe Mode” for schoolchildren, which restricts access to profiles and blocks calls and invites from strangers.
