Protecting children from online harm means teaching them digital literacy skills
LAST September, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) released the Disrupting Harm report which highlighted potential efforts and practices in Malaysia to address the growing concern about online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
ECPAT International, Interpol and Unicef Office of Research-Innocenti collaborated on the report, which was led by a technical committee chaired by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
Internet generation
The report found that 94% of youth aged 12 to 17 in Malaysia are internet users. Almost all of the youngsters polled used cell phones to access the internet.
According to the report’s nationally representative household survey, 96% of 995 internet-using children in this age bracket go online at least once a day. It also found that children access the internet primarily at home, followed by school, malls and internet cafés.
The majority of the students polled (91%) utilised social media and instant messaging applications (90%), watched video clips (88%) and used the internet for schooling (86%).
Our children frequent social media platforms daily; 67% claimed they could pick which photos of themselves or their friends to share online, while 66% said they could change their privacy settings, and 66% said they could report dangerous content on social media.
However, the lowest self-reported computer abilities were seen in children aged 12-13 years and those residing in rural areas – which is where digital literacy becomes an important tool in safeguarding marginalised youth from online harm.
Digital literacy is an umbrella term for data literacy, information literacy, visual literacy, media literacy and metaliteracy. These skill sets work to build our capabilities in assessing social and ethical issues in the digital age.
Social media as a tool
At its core, social media is a tool used by people to stay connected through the internet and exchange information in varying formats.
But a tool needs a skillful master.
According to the report, children in Malaysia were subjected to various forms of online sexual abuse and exploitation, and other unwanted experiences online.
Disturbingly, 9% of children surveyed within the past year had been exposed to sexual comments about them that made them feel uncomfortable, with the majority of these comments being made by someone they knew, according to the report.
Meanwhile, 9% of children were sent unwanted sexual images and 5% were asked to talk about sex or sexual acts with someone when they did not want to and 3% of surveyed children received a request for a photo or video showing their private parts when they did not want to.
Depending on the context, these experiences could be an indication of grooming.
This is where parents and guardians can step in to educate their children about potential online risks such as cyberbullying, age-inappropriate content, online predators and scams to better protect themselves.
Be safe with your kids
It’s crucial to first teach children the skills to navigate the online world safely by teaching them how to spot inappropriate behaviour.
Here, clear guidelines and parental controls can help establish clear rules for internet use whether at home or outside.
Guardians can also set up parental controls on their family device and on applications to limit access to inappropriate content, enforce time limits and prevent children from sharing personal information without parental consent.
Open communication between parents and children will be key here. Children may not know they are being exploited and MCMC recommends parents to create a safe and non-judgmental environment where they feel comfortable sharing any incidents they may encounter while using the Internet. Building on this trust allows parents to intervene if and when necessary.
If you are a household with shared devices, you can monitor your child’s online activities without invading their privacy. Guardians can keep an eye on what websites they visit, the apps they use and their social media interactions to identify any potential risks early on.
MCMC also recommends teaching children values such as respecting others’ privacy, being mindful of their online reputation and understanding the consequences of their online actions.
It’s important that children are empowered in this case so they are aware of any inappropriate behaviours and know what steps to take to protect themselves when they encounter such behaviours. Encourage them to think critically, question information sources and be mindful of the content they share online.
Remember that safeguarding children from online harm necessitates a collective effort on the part of parents and guardians, educators and society.
