Russia Wants to Teach Kids How to Outsmart Online Scammers
Facing a surge in cybercrime against minors, Russian officials are pushing for schools to swap dry theory for hands-on digital safety drills.
At the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, lawmakers floated a plan to add practical cybersecurity lessons to the school curriculum. Artem Sheikin, deputy chair of the Federation Council’s constitutional law committee, said the goal is to help children recognize scams more effectively and respond correctly when confronted with them.
According to Russia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, the number of underage victims of cybercrime jumped by 25 percent in just one year. Officials argue that traditional lectures are no longer enough, as online threats evolve too quickly. Instead, students would practice navigating simulated scenarios, like spotting a fraudulent message disguised as one from a friend and rehearsing the proper response.
The proposal also highlights the use of Max, a Russian-built messenger app, as a secure communication tool. Sheikin stressed, however, that adoption should be voluntary and based on personal responsibility for safeguarding data, not government coercion.
In the long term, advocates see the program as part of a larger 'ecosystem of digital security'—starting with tech-savvy kids and extending to the protection of corporate and state secrets.
