Parents have key role in protecting children from the ugly side of Internet

Three young girls using digital tablet [Courtesy]

Even before the pandemic hit, the number of children and young people that used the Internet was high. Most children and youngsters do not remember a world before smartphones, Facebook and YouTube. Studies indicate that children and adolescents under 18 account for one-third of Internet users around the world.

Amid the pandemic, Internet use among young people skyrocketed as a measure to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. This means more children and young people than ever are online and thus are susceptible to both benefits and dangers of the digital age. These include sexual exploitation, exposure to explicit content, cyberbullying, self-harm sites, affronts to youngsters’ privacy and indoctrination.