Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 12-12-2017

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says governments and the private sector have not kept up with the pace of digital technologies, exposing children to new risks and harms – both on and offline – and leaving millions of the most disadvantaged behind.

Pointing out that one in three Internet users worldwide is a child, the agency in its State of the World’s Children 2017: Children in a Digital World report, highlights digital divides and explores current debates about the impact of the Internet and social media on children’s safety and well-being.

The report also examines how the internet increases children’s vulnerability to risks and harms, including by misusing their private information, accessing harmful content, and cyberbullying, taking note that the ubiquitous presence of mobile devices has made online access for many children less supervised – and potentially more dangerous.

UNICEF’s Executive Director Anthony Lake says digital technology is now an irreversible fact of people’s lives.

“In a digital world, our dual challenge is how to mitigate the harms while maximizing the benefits of the internet for every child.”

Lake says the report also explores the benefits that digital technology can offer the most disadvantaged children, including by increasing their access to information; building skills for the digital workplace; and giving them a platform to connect and communicate their views.

“The Internet was designed for adults, but it is increasingly used by children and young people – and digital technology increasingly affects their lives and futures.”

According to the report, young people are the most connected age group. Worldwide, they have a 71 per cent presence online compared with 48 per cent of the total population. However, African youth are the least connected, with around three out of five not online, compared to just one in 25 in Europe.

It also reveals that more than nine in 10 child sexual abuse URLs are hosted in Canada, France, the Netherlands, the Russian Federation and the United States.

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