A new survey by Bitwarden reveals a growing concern among Gen Z parents about their children’s online safety, particularly with the rise of AI-powered threats—yet their protective actions often fall short. The study, conducted during Cybersecurity Awareness Month, surveyed over 1,000 U.S. parents with children aged 2 to 20. Findings highlight a significant gap between awareness and behavior. Children are going online at younger ages than ever. Nearly 80% of kids aged 3 to 12 now have their own tablet, and 42% of parents of children aged 3 to 5 say their child has accidentally shared personal information online. Despite this early exposure, many parents are not taking consistent protective steps. Gen Z parents, who are most worried—80% fear their kids will fall for AI-enhanced scams—are also the least likely to actively monitor their children’s digital activity. A striking 37% give their children full autonomy or only light oversight. This lack of monitoring correlates with higher incident rates: Gen Z households reported the highest levels of malware (44%), unauthorized in-app purchases (41%), phishing attempts (40%), and accidental data sharing (36%). Even though 98% of Gen Z parents have discussed online safety with their kids, many still fall short in modeling secure digital habits. Nearly a third (28%) admit to sharing passwords via text, email, or verbally. A prior Bitwarden survey found that 72% of Gen Z individuals reuse passwords despite knowing the risks. This behavior undermines family cybersecurity. Adoption of essential security tools remains low. More than half of Gen Z parents (56%) do not use a password manager, and 64% do not use a VPN. Only 16% of all families use a shared password manager vault, rising to 25% among Gen Z parents—still leaving the majority without centralized, secure credential management. Experts stress that parents must lead by example. As AI-generated scams become more sophisticated—capable of mimicking voices, crafting personalized messages, and producing convincing phishing content—children are increasingly vulnerable. Yet 43% of all parents haven’t spoken with their kids about how to recognize AI-powered scams. The survey underscores a critical need for education and better tools. Parents must combine open communication with strong digital hygiene to protect their children in an increasingly complex online world. Bitwarden urges families to adopt password managers, enable multi-factor authentication, and maintain ongoing conversations about responsible internet use.