Cybersecurity threats to young users are evolving as a result of generative artificial intelligence, mobile games and popular social media applications, according to a top global cybersecurity firm.
Russian cybersecurity and anti-virus provider Kaspersky has released a report documenting online threats to children across the Middle East, identifying the most visited web resources and mobile applications.
According to Kaspersky, YouTube (30.5 per cent), TikTok (15.3pc), and WhatsApp (13.6pc) were the most popular mobile applications among children in the Middle East during the first eight months of 2026.
Multiplayer games featured among the top 10 most visited online resources in most countries across the region, including popular titles such as Roblox, accessed by children on both smartphones and computers, as well as Discord, a communication and community platform accessed on desktops.
According to experts, children may encounter malicious actors across a wide range of online platforms, particularly multiplayer games, which enable direct communication with strangers.
“Malicious actors use deception, manipulation and psychological pressure to gain a child’s trust, obtain personal photos or videos, arrange offline meetings, or subsequently use the material for blackmail,” the firm added.
“They may also attempt to involve children in harmful or illegal activities. This form of exploitation, known as online grooming, remains one of the key digital threats to children, alongside phishing.”
The firm also noted that generative AI is an emerging cyberbullying risk.
Kaspersky identified the use of deepfakes – manipulated or fabricated images and videos – as a matter of grave concern in cyberbullying.
“Parents and children should understand the most common threats, from fraud, phishing and cyberbullying to online grooming, while also staying alert to emerging risks associated with generative AI,” said Kaspersky’s Middle East, Türkiye and Africa consumer channel head Seifallah Jedidi.
“Content shared publicly can be repurposed to create fake images or videos, potentially affecting a child’s privacy and digital reputation. Helping children develop good digital habits, think carefully about what they share online and use tools such as parental controls, for example Kaspersky Safe Kids, can go a long way towards improving their protection.”
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