The Ministry of Family and Social Services has issued a stern warning to parents, urging them to prevent children from using digital platforms without supervision. The ministry has highlighted the potential dangers of unconstrained digital platform use, stressing that inadvertent exposure to such platforms can lead to adverse outcomes for children.
In this regard, the ministry has undertaken "Digital Risk Protection and Privacy Training" programs to foster parental awareness, particularly aimed at shielding children from the hazards of the digital age while heightening privacy consciousness among caregivers.
A substantial 35,550 individuals participated in these training sessions, out of which 15,329 were trained to impart safeguarding skills, while 20,221 parents were educated on fostering safe digital environments for their children.
The emphasis is on averting potential dangers linked to the divulgence of personal information and sensitive images of children on digital platforms, which can pave the way for exploitative actions.
Alarming reports have highlighted the ease with which individuals, armed with personal information, can access vulnerable children through digital channels. Disturbingly, these individuals can exploit children through manipulative tactics, employing photographs and videos as tools of control.
The ministry underscored that children under the age of three should be shielded from screens entirely.
Mobile devices should not be treated as toys or rewards for children. Instead, it is pivotal to engage children in interactive games at this age that nurture their creativity and imagination, rather than engaging them in passive screen time.
