AI can now clone a teen’s voice from a few seconds of video, fake a photo, or take over a friend’s account. In this interactive session, Vaibhav Bhandari (Security Engineer and Adjunct Faculty at Merritt College) shares practical, research-based steps for families. Topics include a family password, spotting scams (with tips from Fremont PD), privacy and location settings, group-chat bullying and AI-faked images, AI chatbots, password managers, and a shared family media agreement. Every parent leaves with one action to do tonight. A short bonus on careers in cybersecurity is available if there’s interest.
What we’ll cover
- Scams: is it really them?NIST findings, the family password, Fremont PD tips, game malware
- Privacy and locationThe “Meet Maya” exercise
- Group chats, bullying, AI-faked imagesWhat to do and what to say
- AI chatbots, controls, a family agreementControls, password managers, a shared media agreement
- Parenting tips, seven actions, dinner tablePick one for tonight
Bonus side note: careers in cybersecurity. If there’s interest, we’ll do another seminar in more detail.
Your speaker
Vaibhav Bhandari is a Security Engineer and Adjunct Faculty at Merritt College. His background spans healthcare and cybersecurity. He has led software development at Optum and Microsoft, and is the author of an O’Reilly book. More at vitraag.com.
Resources and sources
- Parenting the “Always Connected” GenerationNIST youth security and privacy research
- Best practices for talking to kids about online privacyNIST, Aug 2023
- Encouraging kids to use technology safely and privatelyNIST video
- Scams, Fraud & Financial CrimesFremont Police Department
- Report fraudFederal Trade Commission
- Avoid scammers while you job huntFTC consumer alert
- Roblox executors: what parents need to knowBitdefender
- Parent’s Guide to CyberbullyingConnectSafely
- Take It DownNCMEC: remove nude or sexual images of a minor
- CyberTiplineNCMEC: report online exploitation
- AI Chatbots: What Parents Should KnowAACAP Facts for Families
- Talk, Trust, and Trade-OffsCommon Sense Media: how teens use AI companions
- How to Make a Family Media Use PlanAmerican Academy of Pediatrics
- Cybersecurity at Merritt CollegeDegrees, certificates and the free CyberCamp