Experts warn parents through "Emirates Today": exposing young people to obscene content that shocks them morally and encourages them to experiment

Targeting children with obscene materials... a way to lure and blackmail them electronically

picture

A 13-year-old girl suffered from behavioral deviation, so she used to run away from home and go out with young people, and when she checked with the psychological and educational consultant, Dr. Nadia Buhanad, she revealed to her that she started the path of deviation when she received pornographic “video” content via the “Snapchat” application. When she was nine years old.

And Dubai Police revealed a proactive measure taken by the Anti-Cybercrime Department to reduce crimes targeting children via the Internet, through digital patrols that monitor any potential risks before they occur, and caught people involved in downloading and sharing content that is offensive to children, and announced earlier the arrest of a person who lured nine children. Through the game "Fortnite", and tried to blackmail them after obtaining pictures that violated them, after luring them with money to increase their points.

The judiciary condemned an unemployed child who lured a child electronically and pushed him to photograph himself and send him pictures, and later blackmailed him with those pictures, but the child resorted to his older brother, who submitted to the competent authorities, after his brother was subjected to great psychological pressure because of the accused, who was sentenced to one year in prison.

«Emirates Today» raises the issue through this investigation to raise awareness of the dangers of leaving children vulnerable to weak-minded people who lure them electronically with obscene materials to blackmail them later sexually.

Experts and specialists warned, via Emirates Today, of psychological, moral and security risks affecting children when they are exposed to pornographic content at a young age, stressing that it represents a moral shock for them, and it starts directly from the moment they are exposed to these materials, whether they are pictures, films or links, noting Noting that these materials are widespread and easily accessible through social media applications such as “YouTube” and “Instagram”, and the greatest danger comes through the “Tik Tok” platform.

They pointed out that the greatest danger is represented in the possibility of targeting children with these materials by adults, with the aim of luring them to sexually blackmail them later, or to seduce them at an age in which the child does not have sufficient distinction between right and wrong.

A cybersecurity expert stressed that there is an urgent importance at the present time to enhance what can be called “digital education”, which requires that there be a digital father and a digital mother, who enjoy comprehensive knowledge of all digital means used by the child, especially electronic games because they are a main gateway to lure and extortion.

While a legal advisor explained that the recent legislation to combat rumors and cybercrime addressed these risks with explicit texts that reflect the legislator's awareness of these threats, and stipulated deterrent penalties for anyone involved in inciting or seducing children with pornographic materials.

In detail, the psychological and educational consultant, Dr. Nadia Buhanad, said that pornographic content in all its forms, whether images, videos or links, represents a great danger to children and adolescents, and negatively affects them psychologically, behaviorally and morally.

She added that the danger is not related to a specific age, but it begins from the moment a child is exposed to this pornographic content, whether the child is three years old or in adolescence, because obscene films or images raise many questions in him, and generate a curiosity in him to know more, and the search for more turns. to a desire to practice it.

She emphasized that she monitored these risks from the reality of the cases she dealt with with children of different ages, such as the case of a 13-year-old girl who suffers from a behavioral deviation, so she frequently escapes from her family’s home, befriends young people, and allows herself everything.

By asking her about the reasons for her delinquency to these behaviors, to trace the turning point in her personality, it was revealed that she had received pornographic content from an older person when she was nine years old, through a social networking application.

Buhanad explained that pornographic content for a child is strange and enjoyable at the same time, as it is exposed to things older than his age, which takes him to a mental, psychological and moral stage that does not suit his age, and generates in him a desire to practice what he sees in these films or pictures, and thus makes him an easy target for troubled people. Psychologically.

Regarding ways to protect children from these threats, Dr. Buhanad said, We must realize that protection requires a lot of effort, because the risks exist in the presence of social networking applications that do not have any kind of sorting or censorship, as there are those who target children through platforms such as « The YouTube".

And she warned in particular about the “Tik Tok” platform, stressing that many cases, especially girls, are exposed to inappropriate content through this platform, which is completely different in the country from which it was launched from its version in the rest of the world, as China has a special version suitable for children that includes Educational content, useful competitions and challenges, while being a porn platform in the rest of the countries.

She pointed out the need to impose a clear system for the use of devices for children, whether electronic games or others, noting that recent studies have proven that the number of hours of playing electronic games should not exceed seven hours per week, while children in the UAE play for periods of up to 15 hours per day.

She stressed the need for parents to have the necessary awareness to impose some kind of moral principles at home, through dialogue, forming a friendship with the child, and building a wall of trust with him, so that he discloses to his parents any problem he is exposed to.

She pointed out that the problem is represented in the reluctance of the majority of children to tell their parents about what they are exposed to, for fear of punishment, due to the absence of proper guidance, befriending children, and getting to know the digital environment in which they live.

And she added that there are measures that the state must adopt, such as blocking games and platforms that represent loopholes for child pornography to reach, because their mental image is formed at an early age, and protecting them is a duty for everyone.

For her part, cybersecurity expert Abdel Nour Sami told «Emirates Today» that most of the means of communication are interested in increasing the viewing area at the expense of filtering the content through which it is displayed, and easily reaches children.

He added that with the exception of those who are free from censorship, because they realize that there is a potential for addiction to the content they provide, and that it has a negative effect on the brain.

He pointed out that the UAE is one of the top 10 countries that apply adequate protection measures against pornography, but there is still a problem associated with some digital production platforms such as “Netflix”, as a child may be exposed through it to obscene films, pictures or links, and this requires a pause. international, due to the difficulty of combating it by one country.

He explained that there are loopholes through which children are lured in the absence of parents or lack of awareness necessary to protect their children, such as electronic games, so adults lure children with digital gifts or provide them with assistance in specific games, and gradually control them.

Sami stressed that there are clear steps that parents must adhere to in order to protect their children, the most important of which is the imposition of real control that includes determining the times and places for using smart phones or tablets, so that they are not used in toilets or closed rooms, or late at night.

He pointed out that this control must be smart and consensual, by promoting what can be called “digital education”, which requires digital parents who are familiar with all the electronic means that children use, whether phones or electronic games.

He revealed that the most prominent mistakes that many parents make is raising awareness only once, so he gives advice to his son and then stops, and this is a big mistake. Rather, the child must be followed up periodically, and asked him about his day, the events he met and the people he talks with, and looking at his daily experiences, Whether in the real or virtual world.

He stressed the need for parents to also have some awareness of the electronic games played by their children, and to give them gifts imposed by these games instead of obtaining them from strangers.

Emirates Today monitored several procedures and issues affecting children, including a proactive measure taken by the Anti-Cyber ​​Crime Department of the General Department of Criminal Investigation and Investigation in Dubai Police, to reduce crimes that could target children via the Internet, through electronic patrols that monitor any potential risks before they occur.

Dubai Police has officially joined an international team established by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), recently, to combat crimes against children via the Internet, with the participation of police agencies from 13 countries around the world, and it has been provided with the latest monitoring and follow-up programs and applications, and a database and information has been established. to achieve the maximum possible cooperation.

Earlier, an adult accused had lured nine children, between the ages of nine and 10, through the famous "Fort Knight" game, and tried to blackmail them after obtaining pictures of them, using a malicious method by luring them with money to increase their points and balances in the game, but the Dubai police caught him thanks to informing the child. tenth about.

• A girl suffering from a behavioral deviation due to an inappropriate clip that was sent to her at the age of nine.

• Demands to promote digital education, and warn parents of frequent mistakes in awareness.

Severe penalties for those who target children with obscene materials

The arbitrator and legal advisor, Muhammad Naguib, said that Decree-Law No. 34 regarding combating rumors and cybercrime used for the first time the term “children” to express crimes that could target them instead of the term “juveniles”, which reflects great interest in this age group that represents The mainstay of any society.

He explained that Article No. 35 of the law provides full protection from a crime that has become more common in recent times globally, which is targeting children with pornography, and stipulates that it is punishable by imprisonment for a period of no less than two years, and a fine of no less than 250 thousand dirhams, and not more than one million. Dirham, or one of these two penalties, for anyone who incites, seduces, or assists a child to broadcast, prepare, or send pornographic materials using an information network or any information technology means.

The penalty shall be temporary imprisonment and a fine not exceeding one million dirhams if the prepared or transmitted pornographic materials are of the child.

The child victim is not criminally responsible for the acts he commits as a result of incitement and seduction.

Naguib indicated that this article represents a great deterrent to psychopathic criminals who target children and lure them with such materials, as happens in several countries, and is a means to lure them in, and perhaps blackmail them later.

He continued that Article No. 36 of the same law provided additional protection for the child, and a proactive deterrent to those who target them, as it stipulates that whoever possesses Deliberately commits child pornography by using an electronic information system, information network, website or information technology means.

He stressed that many psychological and forensic studies have proven that possession of child pornography is an indicator of the possibility of exposure to them, and therefore developed countries, including the UAE, take strict measures against those involved in these practices.

Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news