The Internet has become an essential part of the lives of all human beings, including children. This generation was born to press a button and open a screen.
Some parents may think that their children are safe in their rooms while they are with their devices and computers away from the dangers of the streets and bad companions, because when they connect to the Internet they are quiet, and they hardly make a sound that disturbs the peace of the house, but they do not know what their children are really watching.
33% of internet users are children
The European Commission says that 1 in 3 Internet users is a child, which is about 33% of Internet users in the world are children, and these children are accessing the Internet at an ever younger age through a variety of devices, while spending More and more of their time online, browsing social media, playing games, and using mobile apps, often without adult supervision.
In fact, the Internet can be a great thing for children as they can use it to research, help them with their homework, communicate with teachers and other children, and use interactive games.
Online access comes with severe risks such as cyberbullying and bullying that many youngsters face (Shutterstock)
severe risks
But online access also comes with serious risks, such as inappropriate content, cyberbullying and cyberbullying that many young people face, and online predators who communicate with children using the applications and websites these youngsters interact with, and fraudsters may pretend to look like a child or teenager looking to Finding a new friend, urging the child to exchange personal information, such as home address and phone number, or encouraging children to call and communicate with them in preparation for exploitation and deception.
Here, parents should be aware of what their children see and hear on the Internet, who they meet and what they share about themselves, which is why parents should talk to their children and monitor their activities rather than thinking that they are calm and safe in their rooms.
misleading silence
In this context, Nick Whitton, principal of JH Goodwin Primary School in Chester, UK, warns of the seeming calm of children online;
This "silence may be misleading," as Wheaton confirms, in statements to the BBC, which recently published a lengthy report on this subject.
“Children can be traumatized by the horrific videos they watch online,” explains the principal of the 180-student school, ranging in age from four and a half to 11. Ms. Whitton explains that she sees “children as young as 6 years old playing computer games with a rating of 12.” On the Internet, we have cases of children who need medication to sleep, and this is very worrying."
"Some of the children who come to school sleep in the classroom and do not pay attention to their studies, because they were up all night playing on their devices and phones. Some of them even organized a competition on WhatsApp, which one plays the longest and can stay awake the longest, and the winner was a child," she said. He sent the last message at 4:00 in the morning."
In addition to viewing inappropriate content online, or staying up late, children who are online can be vulnerable to sexual abuse;
Such cases are familiar to British researcher Rachel O'Connell, who has studied and investigated a large number of cases related to online child abuse, and worked on statistical techniques to identify abusers, according to the BBC's previous report.
In the course of her research, she went online pretending to be an 8-year-old who has no friends at school, and wants to make new friends online. In fact, her understanding of the mentality of “predators” that chase children makes her assert that “only children are often the target of ".
For her work, Ms. O'Connell visits many schools and finds that many parents have no idea what apps their children have access to.
"It seems that putting nude selfies online has become a rite of passage now, which is something parents who don't know how to become a parent in the digital world don't know," she explains, which creates a feeling of helplessness and confusion for them.
The law prohibits any website from asking a child to provide more personal information than necessary to play a game or enter an online competition (Shutterstock).
special strategy
To get rid of this confusion and this inability, and to address this serious problem, the European Commission has developed a special strategy to deal with it with the aim of providing a safe environment for children on the Internet.
This strategy seeks to raise awareness and promote digital literacy among minors, parents and educators, and combats online child sexual abuse material through its network of hotlines (INHOPE).
Internet Security Laws
The United States has a federal Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which seeks to protect children under the age of 13 when online and is designed to prevent anyone from obtaining a child's personal information without a parent's knowledge and consent Or not.
The law requires websites and online platforms to clarify their privacy policies and obtain parental consent before collecting or using a child’s personal information, such as name, address, phone number, or social security number. The law also prohibits any website from requiring a child to provide personal information. Too much to play a game or enter an online competition.
Online Protection Tools
Online tools allow you to control your children's access to adult material and help protect them from online predators, and many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provide parental control options.
You can also get programs that help prevent access to sites and restrict the sending of personal information over the Internet, and there are other programs to monitor and track children's online activity, according to the American "Kids Health" organization on its platform.
But more important than blocking dangerous materials and websites is to teach your children how to behave safely and responsibly online, and in the following we provide you with some basic guidelines to share with your children and teach them for safe use online as mentioned by the previous platform.
Never agree to meet face to face with anyone you met online without parental consent and/or supervision (Shutterstock)
Basic tips to share with your kids
The following guidelines should be clear to your children, according to Children's Health;
Always talk to them about it, discuss it and explain it to them, and answer their questions about it no matter what and without complaining. It is important for your child to understand the risks he faces through the international network, which are:
Follow the family rules, and those set by your ISP.
Never post or trade personal photos.
Never reveal any personal information, such as address, phone number, school name, or location.
Never share passwords with anyone but your parents.
Never agree to meet face to face with anyone you have met online without parental consent and/or supervision.
Never respond to threatening and intimidating emails or on social media, and tell your parents about them immediately.
Always tell a parent or other trusted adult about any communication or conversation that has been intimidating or hurtful.
Basic principles of parental supervision
In this context, the platform mentioned some of the basic guidelines for parents:
Spend time online with your children to teach them appropriate online behavior.
Put the computer in a public place where you can watch its use, not in individual bedrooms, and also monitor any time your children spend on smartphones or tablets.
Bookmark children's favorite sites for easy access.
Check your credit card and phone bills for any other unfamiliar charges.
Learn about the online protection methods provided by the school for your child, if any, as well as the training and educational centers that your children visit, or friends' homes or any place where children can use the computer without your supervision.
Take seriously if your child reports any harassment online, many parents neglect such complaints from their children even though they can be very serious.