It is always difficult to fight or solve something whose nature has not been fully deciphered. Today, we can observe the phenomenon in the form of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout process. What have we seen so far? All the global leaders are urging their respective citizens to take the jab without fear–most, if not all of them, have received the vaccines in the first instance following its approval from pertinent authorities globally-to boost confidence among the masses. The leaders had to create examples, and without them, we may not positively think about receiving the most crucial thing at the time— the vaccine.
As our priorities change in this era of the new normal, we should focus more on the issues that are significant in steering the new ways. Safer internet is among one of the most important issues in contemporary times. Much like their stance regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, our leaders ought to help us address sustained safe use of the internet for the next generation- as they are the most vulnerable to online predators.The black swan event of COVID-19 has confined us within our homes, restricted our movement, and limited our external environment experience. Consequently, we are becoming dependent on the internet more than ever before. It is like without the internet, we live in a time of darkness, which could only be illuminated once again through the internet. Thus, the world is calling the internet “the sublime of technological advancement.” However, this vast world also contains some grey areas.
With school closed, our children are spending moretime than ever online;simultaneously attending online classes, submitting projects or assignments, learning new things, and engaging with their friends. The digital world has become their new classroom and playground. Hence, we should be categorical to ensure a safe and stimulating digital environment for our future leaders. While they are engaging with newer technologies, the risks associated with the internet are also increasing alarmingly alongside the opportunities it brings. Yet, internet safety for children has not been addressed appropriately. Some staggering facts from all over the world confirms this.
According to UNICEF, a recent poll revealed that one in three young people said they had been a victim of cyberbullying, while one in five reported that they had to skip school because of online bullying and violence. It has been found through various recent studies that 87 per cent of the youth have been victims of cyber-bullying globally. And 60 per cent of children are exposed to cyber risks one wayor another, and one-third of middle school students report having to deal with cyberbullying at least once a week to daily. Moreover, girls face cyber-bullying three times more than boys.
Cyber bullying can ruin our children’s lives forever with permanent psychological damage. Therefore, we need to rethink how we can make our future generation resilient to internet bullying and salvage them from the deviating path
According to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), as of December 2020, there are more than 110 million internet users in Bangladesh right now; among them, 100 million are mobile internet users. The country has witnessed an upward trend in internet usage, especially over the last few months. After June 2020, internet usage in Bangladesh has surged by 50 percent. Moreover, every year over,3.4 million students get enrolled in primary education.Among them, a considerable portion will be connected to the internet and be introduced to the unbounded digital world for the first time. Therefore, not only students but parents and teachers also need to be sensitized and educated concerning the internet world.
Considering the above facts, we should ask ourselves, do we really know whether our children have already become a cyber-victim? Most of us will start chewing our lips and ponder—but have we ever asked ourselves this? Notwithstanding, cyber bullying can ruin our children’s lives forever with permanent psychological damage. Therefore, we need to rethink how we can make our future generation resilient to internet bullying and salvage them from the deviating path. We just cannot afford to overlook this topic with negligence, as it may put the most precious things in our lives in grave danger.
Recently, on 9 February, the world observed Safer Internet Day (SID).Governments and other numerous organizations worldwide observed this day as an opportunity to make people of every sphere aware of an unsafe online world with various programmes, sessions, webinars, panel discussions, podcasts, etc. Many organizations in Bangladesh have constantly been working to educate students and parents across the nation about the significance of safer internet-attempting to make them conscious about what consequences an unsafe digital word could bring to their children’s lives. So, what can we do to create more awareness among our communities amidstthe situation brought on by the pandemic? It is not easy to grapple with this topic- as most of the people in this country, especially in rural areas, do not know much about the online world—but we must continue our persistent efforts.
Apart from cyber-bullying, there are many other safety issues related to the internet. Credentials and important identification documents, as well as email IDs should be kept private and secure. Passwords are required to be regularly updated using alpha-numeric as well as special characters to keep your information secure. One should never save credit card information or financial statements in their browsers. It is also an important precaution to avoid adding unknown people on social media or sharing your location publicly- as these might warrant undesired threats. Increased usage of the internet via screens also significantly affects our eyes and posture. Turning on the device’s blue light filter helps to reduce the strain on the eyes. Ergonomic chairs and devices are essential for those who use computers extensively.
At DPS STS, along with all these initiatives, we have adopted different strategies to make the process more result oriented. Our students, parents, teachers, and staff have participated in various internet-safety related programmes, webinars, and sessions through the years.
We also urge the leaders of different sectors to get involved in various kinds of awareness programmes and encourage them to step forward as they did for the COVID-19 vaccine, because ensuring a better internet world is no less significant.