NORFOLK, Va. — Shoppers in the U.S. are expected to spend more than $966 billion on gifts this holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation.
Many parents will be buying the latest in technology for kids, but with so many options, it's hard to know what's safe and what's not.
WATCH: Experts warn parents about hidden dangers of online gaming, social media
New gaming systems and new phones can be fun for kids, but once connected to the internet, experts say these items could become dangerous and a way for predators to contact children.
As technology has evolved, so have the risks that come with it, according to Len Gonzales, the founder of Ally Cyber Investigations, LLC.
"We weren't talking about this stuff 10 years ago," he said. "Today, there just seems to be such a greater attempt by nefarious actors to steal our data, steal our money, put us at risk in so many ways."
He said many of the devices kids have on their holiday wish lists come with risks.
"By virtue of connecting to the internet, you automatically assume some risk, right? At some point in time, that means that you can have malicious nefarious actors on the other end that manipulate that fate," Gonzales said. "Especially when we're talking about young kids who don't necessarily understand that there are people on a global scale that can reach out and touch them...that becomes very scary when they don't understand that that can happen."
Gonzales said making your home network stronger is just one line of defense. That includes preventing new, unknown devices from connecting to a router.
But he also said awareness and knowledge from parents are also key, and kids born in a digital age do not automatically understand threats and vulnerabilities.
It's also important to inspect parental controls already installed on many devices, Gonzales said, and conversations about safety are crucial, as well.
"You have to relate to your child the importance of being online and what that actually entails and the implications," he said. "So there are certain things that you as a parent need to tell them that you're doing on your end. You're going to ask questions, you're going to be involved, you're going to show interest, you're going to monitor, you're going to provide a safe operating environment."
