On 9 February 2016, millions of people worldwide celebrated Safer Internet Day (#SID2016). It was an opportunity for schools, charities and other organisations to run digital safety events but also for technology companies to showcase their child online protection initiatives.
Protecting young people should be a priority for digital businesses, say the Guidelines for Industry on Child Online Protection (pdf), which were developed by UNICEF and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and include advice on educating children, parents and teachers about online safety and responsible use of ICT.
While there has been criticism that some businesses do not take online safety seriously enough, other companies are going above and beyond to help families manage digital risks. As internet safety expert John Carr, who has advised the ITU and the EU, says, “Working through governments and inter-governmental agencies like the UN is, of course, extremely important but it can sometimes take years to see any results. Companies can change things now and thankfully many of them are ready to step up.”
“If we are going to solve tomorrow’s global challenges, we must come together today to inspire young people everywhere with the promise of technology,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in 2015. Safety and security is central to that promise and Microsoft has created a broad range of resources for young people, parents, carers and teachers on topics such as bullying, sexting and hate speech online. Its YouthSpark programme is also helping more than 300 million young people around the world to improve their digital skills.
“It may sound like a cliché but the multi-stakeholder approach is the only way to achieve meaningful results in the long run,” says Mauro Accurso of mobile industry body the GSMA, which is currently working with UNICEF to promote digital safety across Latin America. “Government, industry and civil society need to work hand in hand on matters relating to child online protection if we are going to make a difference.”
As Lisa Felton, head of consumer policy and content standards at Vodafone Group, points out, “Young people see the internet as an essential part of their lives and do not necessarily see a separation of being ‘online’ or ‘offline’. However, we need to ensure they are aware that their online activity and behaviour may have particular risks and consequences, and support education and awareness initiatives so they have the resilience and confidence for the internet to be a positive experience.”
Resources developed by Vodafone, such as Digital Parenting, are helping millions of families in the UK, Greece, Qatar and other countries. And, following a Vodafone survey of 5,000 teenagers in 11 countries which revealed that one in five teens had been bullied online, the company launched its #BeStrong anti-bullying campaign in 2015.
At Telefónica, the Familia Digital platform provides technology news, FAQs, videos, games and surveys to help parents, guardians and educators stay up-to-date. The resources are available in various countries including Spain, El Salvador and Guatemala. According to Telefónica’s sustainability innovation manager María José Cantarino de Frías, “The platform is also a place to share experiences and testimonials and help overcome the challenges and difficulties people might face due to technological change and the constant appearance of new applications and services.”
Child online protection is also a priority for leading social media companies and search engines. Last year, Twitter launched a new safety centre and ASKfm revamped its safety resources, for example. As well as developing innovative safe search tools, Google’s recent education work includes supporting an online safety campaign in Kenya and working with Parent Zone to tour UK primary schools.
As more people go online and on mobiles, technology companies share the responsibility for educating children, parents and teachers about the safe, responsible and positive use of ICT.
“The tech industry has brought us remarkable devices, platforms and apps to connect the world. It is incumbent on them to also provide the tools, rules and educational efforts to empower parents to confidently navigate the online world with their kids,” says Stephen Balkam, founder and CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute.
Many businesses are taking this task seriously. More than 20 technology companies including Dropbox and Tumblr make up the Thorn Tech Task Force, for example, and a number of businesses pledged to tackle online child sexual exploitation at the #WeProtect Children Online Global Summit last November. As UNICEF deputy executive director Fatoumata Ndiaye commented ahead of the summit, “... protecting children online is an urgent global priority”.
For children everywhere, #SID2016 is not just something that trends in February; its mission is relevant – indeed, vital – all year round. With the continued support of the technology industry, young people could be even safer in their digital spaces every single day.
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