We have a duty to keep our kids safe online
We live in a world that is increasingly digital. Over 50 per cent of the UAE population was born into this digital age, and we are the number one nation when it comes to people accessing the internet (98 per cent). People in the UAE spend an average of eight hours per day online, and it is becoming part of our daily lives. Hence, in our efforts to continually improve the wellbeing of UAE citizens, it is critical that we focus on improving the quality of our digital lives. And safety is at the heart of that digital wellbeing.
Advances in technology are exciting, promising, and their spread and integration in our lives are good for our country as we continue to take a global leadership position in the 21st century. The future holds promise and benefits, especially for our children. With access to the internet, it is a wonderful world out there for them to develop, learn, and interact. They can use it to research school reports, communicate with teachers and other sudents, and learn new skills. It helps them learn faster, makes access to information on any topic much easier, be more curious and creative, and answers many of their questions.
It can provide printable templates of historical buildings or famous paintings to learn about, and can allow them to virtually visit different parts of the world, learn new cultures, play games that expand their mind, and stay in touch with friends and family.
However, this digital age also comes with many risks. The children can be subjected to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and online predators. Predators may pose as a child or teen looking to make a new friend using applications and on websites where children interact. They might prod the child to exchange personal information, such as address and phone number, or encourage them to call them, seeing their phone number via caller ID.
Extensive exposure to violent games may push vulnerable players to model behaviour observed in those games. Parents around the world are concerned about children sharing their personal information with strangers online. Recent stories about online games that have unimaginable and dark consequences, and some of them not only harm the players themselves, but also result in other victims in the real world. In addition to these digital dangers, what our children do online today will have a major impact on their future lives and digital identity.
The pace of change is so fast that most parents and carers find it difficult to keep up. In the UAE today, 34 per cent of parents said they allow their children to go online without supervision, and over 60 per cent did not set any technical device limits to help control their children’s access and exposure. The children are out there in the digital world, with all its dangers, without protection or supervision. We need to act collectively to address these challenges. Children who are allowed to be online by themselves should be informed about basic computer safety practices. If they are at an age that is too young to be educated about that, their online activity should be very closely monitored with strict parental control options set on their devices. Parents need to be aware of what their kids see and hear on the Internet, who they meet, and what they share about themselves. They should talk with their kids, use tools to protect them, and keep an eye on their activities. Our children’s safety and wellbeing is critical for our future as a nation.
As a government, we are taking action led by the Ministry of Interior in collaboration with the National Programme for Happiness and Wellbeing. This is at the heart of the UAE National Framework for Wellbeing, which one of its components focuses on enhancing our citizens’ digital wellbeing and cultivating positive digital communities.
Within that framework, we are building ways and means to look after our children’s digital wellbeing. We will educate them, enable them, and support their parents and teachers. We will integrate online safety and wellbeing in our children’s digital lives from an early age when they start to do anything with the internet. We will work with schools, carers, technology companies, traditional and social media influencers, and all relevant ministries from our government. We will reach the children online, and face to face. Not only will we focus on their online safety, but we will also instil in them positive digital values and behaviours that enforce good global citizenship, respect, and tolerance.
Our children are the future of our nation. Investing in their safety and wellbeing means investing in our future.
Monitoring children’s activity gains importance, even as the UAE government strives to cultivate positive digital communities
Predators may pose as a child or teen looking to make a new friend using applications and on websites where children interact.