Children at a New Delhi school, Photo: Ashutosh Sharma/UNICEF
The Internet is a fact of life, and it is part of the daily routine for a large population of humanity having access to smart phones. You don’t have to go far to get a sense of it. Just open your social media platform and your friends are likely to be of all ages – from seniors, to young to children. In a majority of these cases they are members of your community, family or family friends.
But the Internet is not a bordered territory. Especially, for kids it has a large uncharted territory with many implications. The lectures, puzzle solving presentations, explanatory notes on educational websites help children do their homework and understand some of the tough questions. Some websites and videos also helps them with innovative thinking.
On the other end, there are dangers lurking in the dark web ways. Children are easily exposed and have been found vulnerable to things not meant for their age. Then there are predators, fake game players, cyber bullies, extremists and violent criminals trolling all around.
So, are we doing enough to secure the young digital generation against hazards of the Internet world?
A report this week reveals that one in every three Internet user is a child, raising the level of urgency to address the issue.
In its State of the World’s Children 2017: Children in a Digital World report, the UNICEF highlights digital divides, as well as looks at the debate on the impact of the Internet and social media on children’s safety and well-being.
“For better and for worse, digital technology is now an irreversible fact of our lives,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. “In a digital world, our dual challenge is how to mitigate the harms while maximizing the benefits of the internet for every child.”
“The Internet was designed for adults, but it is increasingly used by children and young people – and digital technology increasingly affects their lives and futures,” Lake says reflectively.
There have been numerous reports of predators and extremists brainwashing and swaying children and in some cases exploiting their conditions. But there has not been the kind of discussion and debate that society must have regularly to secure the future of its kids. It’s not a matter of policing the Internet to the extent of blunting it but making everyone aware of the threats and finding ways to save children from them.
It is abundantly clear that everybody has a responsibility to help children stay safe against online threats – the family, friends, schools and above all the community.
While releasing the report the UNICEF also tells the story of kids exploited by militant organizations.
Among other key findings of the report is the question of a gaping digital divide, showing that millions of children in the poverty-hit ares are missing out on its benefits.
Around one third of the world’s youth, or 346 million young people, are not online – exacerbating inequities and reducing children’s ability to participate in an increasingly digital economy, the report says.
According to the report, young people are the most connected age group. Worldwide, they have a 71 per cent presence online compared with 48 per cent of the total population.
Among all continents, the youth in Africa are the least connected, with around three out of five not online, compared to just one in 25 in Europe.
