OPEN COMMUNICATION, KEY AGAINST ONLINE ABUSE

MA. CRISTINA S. NUGUID

To avoid being victims of abuse online, parents and guardians should guide their children

in using social media, and monitor the use of their devices.

world. They should check the device of their children.

they will not be victimized. Tell them

-oOoThe

It is important for parents

to monitor their children's online activities, and educate them about the risks in the online

It is important to guide them so that

it is not bad to accept friends, but accept only those

whom they know. Open communication between the parents and the children is crucial to

creating a safe online environment, and preventing potential harm to children.

exploitation materials have already proliferated in other countries.

It is also

important for parents or guardians to visit the schools of their children, and ask the teachers

about their status. This is to ensure that their children are not facing any problems or risks.

At the same time, teachers should inform parents or guardians about anything that concerns

their children for them to provide the needed support. Children are encouraged not to

be afraid of reporting to the authorities, or to the nearest police station in their area

if they

experience abuse or exploitation. Recently, the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC)

issued a warning against an emerging trend in child abuse and exploitation, which is the

use of artificial intelligence (AI). Though there are no reported cases in the Philippines, the

CWC issued the warning to prepare for potential threats as AI-generated child sexual abuse

author is a Teacher I at Sta Barbara Elementary School, Lubao East District