Today, more than ever before, the Internet is a necessity. But there are dangers at every click…
February 8 alone is not Safer Internet Day… every day is. Every year, there is a sharp rise in cyber crimes against children because of the enormous amount of time one spends online for educational and communication purposes. According to Child Rights and You (CRY), “There is a limited understanding among caregivers, educators and society regarding the risks that kids may face online. There is a need to make them understand what children should know so that the former can appropriately guide the latter.”
Think about these
While talking to her teacher, 10-year-old Tara* casually mentioned that she had been talking to a boy she had met on Facebook. He had sent her a friend request and she accepted, though she did not know him. He seemed friendly but, after some time, began to ask her personal questions and pester her for photographs. She sent him one and he began to bombard her with requests to meet in person. Her teacher asked her if her parents knew. Her reply: “Oh no. We don’t talk about stuff like this at home. They do not use social media and so wouldn’t know what I was talking about.” Tara is unaware of the danger of arranging to meet someone she does not know.
Karthik* thought it would be fun to upload a video of a mate being beaten up in school. When a complaint was filed with the police, it was registered as a case of cyberbullying. In another…
