Children took on hands-on cyber investigation missions alongside their parents as Kaspersky data points to AI chatbots entering Indian children’s most-used apps and higher exposure to risky content on smartphones than on computersKaspersky, a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company, together with KidZania India, yesterday hosted a Media Family Day at the Kaspersky Cyber Investigation Centre at KidZania Delhi NCR, Near GIP Mall, Noida. The event brought together parents and children, who took part in the same cybersecurity role-play that has been open to visitors since the Centre opened in April 2026. The event set out to examine how children’s online behaviour in India is changing, and how cybersecurity awareness can be built through practice rather than instruction.
What the data shows about children’s online livesAnonymised data from Indian users of Kaspersky Safe Kids for Q1 2026 shows that communication and media platforms now anchor most of children’s time online. On Windows devices, Internet, Communication & Media was the most-visited category (43.44%), followed by Software, Audio, Video (34.99%). Android showed a similar pattern, at 39.86% and 34.89% respectively.The more significant difference lies in exposure to risky content. Adult content accounted for 5.71% of children’s activity on Android, nearly three times its 1.91% share on Windows. Alcohol, tobacco and narcotics-related content remained small but consistent on both platforms (0.26% on Android and 0.29% on Windows). The gap indicates that smartphones, typically the less supervised device in the household, are where children are most likely to encounter harmful content.Children’s app usage is also shifting towards AI. Kaspersky Safe Kids data on app usage in India over a recent six-month period placed ChatGPT seventh among the Top 20 apps used by children, with a 2.41% share. That put it ahead of Zoom, Roblox and Telegram, and behind YouTube (30.68%), WhatsApp (29.14%) and Instagram (10.24%). It was the only AI chatbot in the Top 10. The trend mirrors Kaspersky’s global findings, which showed AI-related apps and services rising from sixth to third place in children’s Google searches worldwide between May 2025 and April 2026.Commenting on the findings, Jaydeep Singh, General Manager for India at Kaspersky, said, “Children in India are now turning to AI chatbots for homework, quick answers and even conversation, alongside the messaging and video apps they have used for years, and most of this is happening on smartphones, where supervision tends to be lightest. That changes what cyber awareness needs to look like. It is no longer enough to tell a child not to click a suspicious link. They also need to learn to question what a chatbot tells them, to recognise when a message is designed to manipulate them, and to know when to ask an adult for help.”“Yesterday was about letting parents see that learning happen first-hand. When a child works through a phishing case at the Cyber Investigation Centre and then explains it to their parents, it shows why hands-on learning stays with them in a way a warning does not. That is what we set out to build with KidZania: an instinct for online safety that children carry back to the devices they use every day,”he added.
Inside the Cyber Investigation CentreThe programme opened with a welcome address by Jaydeep Singh, followed by an overview of the Kaspersky–KidZania partnership from KidZania India. Families then took part in a guided KidZania experience that included the Cyber Investigation Centre, followed by an interaction and Q&A with the Kaspersky team.At the Centre, children aged six and above stepped into the role of cyber investigators. They worked at dedicated workstations equipped with Kaspersky security software and investigated simulated cases of phishing, identity theft and cyberbullying. Along the way, they learned to identify online threats, practised safe browsing and responded to realistic cybersecurity scenarios. Each 20-minute session accommodates up to six children, who receive a personalised Cyber Investigator card on completing their mission. The Centre operates at both KidZania India locations, in Mumbai and Delhi NCR.Speaking at the event, Tarandeep Singh Sekhon, Chief Business Officer, KidZania India, said, “
At KidZania, we believe children learn best when they get to experience the real world for themselves. And today, the real world also includes the digital world. The Kaspersky Cyber Investigation Centre brings this reality into KidZania in a very engaging way — children become cyber investigators, solve real-life inspired cases and discover how to stay safer online through doing, rather than simply being told.
The Kaspersky team has done a brilliant job of taking what can be a complex subject and turning it into an experience that is simple, immersive and genuinely fun for children. We see them walking out excited about the cases they have cracked and often talking about them with their parents. For us, that is the real power of this partnership — making an important life skill something children can experience, understand and remember.”As part of its ongoing efforts to make cyber safety more accessible for Indian families, Kaspersky has partnered with KidZania to offer a special package that includes a 30-day free trial, up to 40% off on Premium protection, and a complimentary one-year Safe Kids subscription worth INR 1,439, available at kaspersky.co.in.
Practical steps for parentsBased on the trends observed in its data, Kaspersky recommends that parents:
- Keep the conversation open. Talk to children regularly about what they do online and agree on clear ground rules, so they feel comfortable coming to you when something seems wrong.
- Give smartphones the same attention as computers. Apply content filters and parental controls on mobile devices, where the data shows exposure to harmful content is highest.
- Teach children that AI can be wrong. Encourage them to verify chatbot answers, never share personal details with AI tools, and avoid user-created bots that may carry unmoderated content.
- Help them spot manipulation. Explain the warning signs of phishing, such as unexpected links, prize offers or urgent requests arriving via messaging apps, games or email.
- Review settings as children grow. Revisit controls and privacy settings periodically, as the apps children use change quickly. Free resources such as Kaspersky’s Cybersecurity Alphabet can help introduce children to the basics of cyber hygiene