Kaspersky and KidZania India have brought their Cyber Investigation Centre Media Family Day to Mumbai, building on an earlier edition in Delhi NCR, as cybersecurity awareness gains importance amid children’s growing exposure to artificial intelligence (AI), smartphones and online platforms.
Held at KidZania Mumbai in R City Mall, Ghatkopar, the event brought together parents and children to experience a hands-on cybersecurity role-play programme. The initiative aims to help children recognise online threats, including phishing, identity theft and cyberbullying, through practical exercises rather than classroom-style instruction.
The Mumbai event follows the Delhi NCR edition held on 6 October. The Cyber Investigation Centres at both locations have been operational since April 2026, with the programme designed for children aged six and above.
According to Kaspersky, the two centres have trained more than 28,000 children in approximately six months.
Purshottam Bhatia, Head of Consumer Business – South Asia at Kaspersky, said the programme was designed to introduce children to cybersecurity concepts through interactive and relatable experiences.
“Threats are evolving with AI, and the risks are not limited to external attacks. We are sharing a lot of data, knowingly and unknowingly, while using these tools,” Bhatia said during an interaction with Express Computer.
He added that parents should not simply prevent children from using AI, as doing so could also limit their opportunities to develop new skills. Instead, they need to understand the benefits and risks of these technologies and have open conversations with children about appropriate usage and boundaries.
AI introduces new challenges for children’s online safety
The initiative comes as AI-powered tools become a more visible part of children’s digital lives. Kaspersky data on app usage among children in India during the first half of 2026 placed ChatGPT seventh among the 20 most-used applications, with a 2.41% share. It was the only AI chatbot in the top 10.
The company’s annual report on children’s digital interests, based on anonymised data from Kaspersky Safe Kids users between May 2025 and April 2026, also found that AI-related apps and services rose from sixth to third place in children’s Google searches.
As children increasingly use AI tools for homework, information and everyday conversations, the challenge for parents is to help them distinguish reliable information from misleading or potentially harmful content.
Bhatia said parental awareness and the use of appropriate security tools could work together to address these risks. Kaspersky Safe Kids, for instance, allows parents to filter web content, manage screen time and configure age-appropriate profiles across supported devices.
“Awareness is important, but knowing how to use that awareness to educate your child is an ongoing responsibility for parents,” he said. He added that cybersecurity companies could support families by providing accessible information, learning resources and tools that help parents protect children even if they are unfamiliar with technical cybersecurity terminology.
Learning through simulated cyber investigations
At the Cyber Investigation Centre, children use workstations running Kaspersky security software to investigate simulated cases involving phishing, identity theft and cyberbullying. Each session lasts 20 minutes and accommodates up to six children.
Participants learn to identify online threats, practise safer browsing and respond to simulated incidents. Children who complete their investigations receive KidZos, KidZania’s currency, and a personalised Cyber Investigator card.
Tarandeep Singh Sekhon, Chief Business Officer at KidZania India, said practical learning helps children understand cyber safety as an essential life skill.
The partnership reflects KidZania’s approach of using real-world role-play to teach children concepts through participation and experience.
Making digital safety a shared responsibility
Bhatia said cybersecurity awareness needs to extend beyond technology products to include parents, schools and organisations. As online threats change, families need to revisit safety practices and help children understand the consequences of sharing personal information or interacting with unfamiliar links and platforms.
Kaspersky recommends that parents maintain regular conversations about children’s online activities, apply content filters and parental controls on smartphones, encourage children to verify AI-generated information, and teach them to recognise suspicious links and urgent requests.
The company has also partnered with KidZania to offer families a package that includes a 30-day free trial, discounts of up to 40% on premium protection and a complimentary one-year Safe Kids subscription.
For Kaspersky, the initiative is part of a broader effort to make cybersecurity education more accessible to families in India, using practical experiences to build safer digital habits from an early age.