The education system has changed.
It requires children to use technology in their learning process.
Mobile technology and its application enhances access to their human rights information, access to education material.
The ardent readers of this column will recall that we have discussed the subject titled, “At what age should a child own a phone?”where different view and opinions where expressed from parent from different countries.
There has been a cultural conflict in some situation where children are not allowed to own mobile devices which in its purpose are meant for education.
Another extreme situation is where children fall into the hands of an abuser when using the mobile device which is connected to the world through Internet.
Criminals are taking advantage of the innocent children by finding a way to entice them. Parents also try to protect their children from being abused or abusing the technology meant for education.
Majority of parents are not comfortable to give their child a mobile device.
To help the parents and let the child acquire education, a balance and positive awareness need to be implemented.
Abusers and unethical activities are also shifting online and children are being exposed to these vices at an early age.
This poses a great danger to the welfare of the children.
In a nutshell, child online protection is on high demand globally by government agencies and also private corporations due to this reason.
International Telecommunications Union (ITU) launched the Child Online Protection (COP) Initiative in November 2008 within the GCA framework in order to ensure a safe and secure online experience for children everywhere.
COP aims at tackling cyber security holistically, addressing legal, technical, organizational and procedural issues as well as capacity building and international cooperation.
Zambian ICT Survey
In 2013, a survey was conducted to find out the level of exposure, awareness and available mitigation measures in Zambia.
It obtained perspectives of Internet users who included parents and children as well as that of operators offering Internet services in Zambia.
Parental participation in COP
Parental or responsible adult monitoring of Internet usage by younger household members:
1. Does the household monitor the usage of internet by household members?
Response: 31.9% said YES and 68.9 % said NO.
2. Do you mitigate the household member’s exposure to illicit content online?
Response: 14.4% YES and 86.6% NO. Source ZICTA.
This article will take you through important principles and applications needed to help the reader and guardians become active participants in child online protection awareness.
You are not only going to be informed but educated with best practices for the value and protection of your children.
The article shall not be based on the matters of arguments and debates but on realities that can be treated with urgency in response to COP.
With resources from ZICTA and GSMA capacity building, these and many subjects will be explored in the next subtopics that will include: the rights of the child; using mobile technology to access rights; child online protection; safe and responsible use; children’s use of mobile and ICTs’; and many others.
What does the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) say?
UNCRC convention applies in today’s connected society and striking the right balance. The convention on the rights of the child: Article13 provides for freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds.
Article31 provides for the right, “to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts”.
Article16 provides for, “…having access to education and support in the use of basic knowledge of child health and nutrition…”
Article34 provides for “…protection of the child from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse”.
The subject being discussed here will enhance the goal of access to ICTs and children’s rights, promoting opportunities, education, protection from violence and exploitation, information, freedom of expression.
It will also provide for mitigating risks, inappropriate content, reputational damage, inappropriate behaviour, privacy concerns, sexual exploitation and violence.
UNICEF articulates the difference between respect — the minimum required to avoid causing harm to children—and support, which includes taking voluntary actions that seek to advance the realization of children’s rights.
Mobile network operators in partnership with the regulatory authorities need to integrate child rights considerations into all appropriate corporate policies and management processes, develop processes to handle child sexual abuse material.
There is also need to create a safer and age-appropriate online environment, educate children, parents and teachers about children’s safety and their responsible use of ICTs and promote digital technology for increasing civic engagement.
It is important to strike a careful balance between children’s right to protection with their right to have access to information and the right to freedom of expression.
It is vital that measures to protect children online are focused and are not unduly restrictive, either for the child or other users.
“While the stated goals of age and identify verification practices are laudable, they prevent individuals from being anonymous online and can therefore undermine the right to privacy.”
ParentalControls
While the motivation to protect children from harmful content, sexual exploitation and disclosing personal information is undoubtedly legitimate, parental controls also present a clear interference with children’s privacy.
•They raise serious questions about the extent and nature of children’s right to privacy in the home, the development of children into responsible digital citizens who can think critically and act independently online, and the support necessary for children to build trust, curiosity and creativity.
•The tension between parental controls and children’s right to privacy can best be viewed through the lens of children’s evolving capacities.
While parental controls may be appropriate for young children who are less able to direct and moderate their behavior online, such controls are more, difficult to justify for adolescents wishing to explore issues like sexuality, politics and religion…”.
Source:UNICEFDiscussionPaperonChildren’sRightsandBusinessinaDigitalWorld:Privacy,protectionof personal informationandreputationrights
The challenges include legal, technical, institutional and individual.
Legal: Inadequate laws to effectively protect children; Information and Communications Technology ACT number 15of 2009; Electronic Communication and Transactions Act number 21 of 2009 Consumer Protection guidelines of 2013.
Technical: lack of tools to minimize child risks.
Capacity building in COP: lack of resources for teachers and parents.
There is lack of organizational coherent strategy and the need tostrengthen the Institutional framework and coopt others.
There is an urgent need to strengthen collaboration and coordination of stakeholders from child health and child protection departments for child policy and implementation.
Considering the survey that was conducted by ZICTA, there is a big ICT illiteracy among most parents and heads ofhouseholds which disconnects between head of households andinstitutions implementing COP activities.
Possible Solutions
Operators and authorities need to incorporate some of the recommended ITU COP guidelines for industry, educators, children and policy makers in its framework.
Schools should be involved and buy-in critical toimplementation of COP strategyformulation of COP awareness programs.
Zambia to collaborate with international stakeholders to build capacity and learn international best practices on Child Online Protection to ensure that the Cyber Security Model Laws are enacted.
There is need to promote and support hotline for illegal content and lawenforcement structures.Resource: ZICTA, GSMA Capacity Building.
The author is an ICT consultant, forensic investigator, CFIP, PDES, BScIT, DIT, ADip.PM, ITIL. For comments, suggestion, questions email kingstonmwila@gmail.com, WhatsApp +260977689574, +260955689574, Like the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ictmatterswithkingstonalimwila.