Preventing child abuse on the Internet
Child abuse is considered to be despicable. The prominent media coverage given to such crimes, the public outcry, the preventive training given provided in schools, the particular attention of parents etc. are clear signs that abuse is taken seriously. I heartily subscribe to all of this with one important caveat.
It is undoubtedly correct to say that physical and sexual abuse is not tolerated but do we have the same strong attitude against other possible forms of abuse? We are doing are best to make our streets, schools, homes etc. safer for children but are we attentive enough to make cyberspace safe for children? Are the tools provided by the industry and which can then be used by children and parents adequate?
Unfortunately the answer is in the negative. A new report by the pan-European research group, EU Kids on Line project shows that existing reporting tools on the Internet aimed at helping children who face problems online do not work.
The report “Towards a better internet for children” surveys the strategies used by industry to protect young users from online risk and examines whether there is evidence that these strategies work and reduce the online risks and harm experienced by children based on interviews with 25,000 children and parents across 25 European countries.
The report shows that only 13% of children who were upset by material they came across while surfing on the internet felt confident enough to report their problem through an online reporting mechanism. The study also reveals that one in five children have seen potentially dangerous internet content such as websites which promote anorexia and suicide techniques.
This report was released on July 10 to coincide with the meeting that was hosted by the European Commission. In fact on July 11th the Internet industry presented a report about their efforts to keep children safe online.
“Towards a better internet for children” researched parents as well as children. When parents were asked about what worried them a lot about their children, their top five concerns were school achievement, road accidents, bullying (on or offline) and crime. Online risks – being contacted by strangers or seeing inappropriate content – come fourth and fifth in the list of nine worries. One in three parents say they worry about these risks a lot. Parents worried more about online risk than they were worried by alcohol, drugs, getting into trouble with the police and sexual activities.
“Towards a better internet for children” also showed that when children actually reported problems resulting from contacts met online they were generally dissatisfied with the help received from online services. Only two thirds of children who reported content or conduct risks found the response helpful, though one third did not. Those reporting sexual images were a little more positive about the help received than those reporting conduct risks (sexting, cyber-bullying).
The role of that parents play in their children’s internet use is very important. Such parental mediation can take different forms, for example they can do activities on line with their children. They can encourage their children to learn things on their own while remaining available if needed. These and other forms of help have been shown to reduce the probability of children’s exposure to online risks at all ages, and it is also linked to decreased experiences of harm among 9 to 12 year olds without reducing their exposure to the positives of online activity.
The study clearly shows that the industry is not doing enough to help parents help their children and to empower children themselves against abuse. During the July 11 meeting with the industry it transpired that some progress had been registered but much more has to be done. A number of targets were set up in the hope that more progress will be achieved.
It is not only legitimate but also dutiful to put all possible pressure on the industry to fulfil its duty towards children. On the other hand, it is not acceptable for parents to use the industry’s failings as a justification for not doing their utmost to help their children.
Malta had not been invited to be part of the study referred to above. Fortunately we now are part of the project as we also need to discover more about what children are doing online and the best way to help them. Following the footsteps of these other European countries we can then refer to industry and policy makers to urgently address the best interest of our children.
On a positive note it’s good to point out that parents who are interested in getting help on the subject can do so through Appogg or if more convenient from www.besmartonline.org.mt .
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C. Bonnici
Jul 29th 2012, 12:49
@ the author: what surprises me most is not whatever is written in your article, but the fact that Malta is not included in the report you cited. May I ask, then, why is this the case?
This is the link to the report:
media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/EU%20Kids%20III/Reports/EUKidsOnlinereportfortheCEOCoalition.pdf" target="_blank">http://www2.lse.ac.uk/media@lse/research/EUKidsOnline/EU%20Kids%20III/Reports/EUKidsOnlinereportfortheCEOCoalition.pdf
Jessica Debattista
Jul 21st 2012, 13:47
@ Franco Farrugia: “I must add, transferring parents' duties to the school, to boarding, to nannies, to summer schools, etc ... etc ... etc...
I think you are out of point here Franco. We are discussing safety on the internet and ways and means to control abuse.
Franco Farrugia
Jul 21st 2012, 16:08
And I, madam, was actually answering to your comment. I there has been an 'out-of-point', then, it must surely have been yours.
Jessica Debattista
Jul 21st 2012, 19:10
@Franco Farrugia: “And I, madam, was actually answering to your comment. I there has been an 'out-of-point', then, it must surely have been yours.”
No Franco I was not out of point when I suggested that where help from parents is impossible children should seek help from teachers.
But you saying “.... I must add, transferring parents' duties to the school, to boarding, to nannies, to summer schools, etc ... etc ... etc...” seems to me very much out of point since
that has nothing to do with safety on the internet.
Every now and then you seem to bring up this issue you have against boarding schools. It’s like a chip on your shoulder you cannot get rid of. We have discussed this issue before but it seems irrelevant in this blog
Franco Farrugia
Jul 23rd 2012, 17:43
@ Jessica Debattista: It is absolutely wrong for you to claim that I might have some chip on the shoulder over boarding schools. I was never thrown in any one of them by my parents so, there is no chip on the shoulder that I can have about it. Quite the contrary, actually, since I worked with boarders for a very small number of years: between 1983-1986. So, you see, my interest is quite altruistic.
And by the way, why do you single out 'boarding schools' from among the other things I mentioned?
Jessica Debattista
Jul 23rd 2012, 18:51
@ Franco Farrugia“And by the way, why do you single out 'boarding schools' from among the other things I mentioned?”
Because boarding school education has been discussed between us before and I know how you feel about it. To me it seems that it is the major situation that bothers you as indicated by the choice of words you use to describe it.
You say that you were never “thrown” into any one of them. That word (thrown) is enough to show how disdainful you feel about the parents who opt to give their child a boarding school education.
You always want to paint such parents with a tar brush and it annoys me personally since I have great admiration for my parents who always did their utmost to give us the best standard of living they could afford which included giving two of my brothers a boarding school education - the third brother unfortunately could not make the grades.
Unlike you I was brought up to think that boarding school was the apex but unfortunately you think otherwise possibly because you have encountered other situations which were different from mine.
You do tend to generalize Franco! And I’m sure you realize that we have deviated from this week’s topic
Franco Farrugia
Jul 23rd 2012, 20:59
@ Mrs Debattista: Yes, indeed, NOW YOU have certainly deviated from this week's issue.
Jessica Debattista
Jul 24th 2012, 09:44
@ Franco: "Yes, indeed, NOW YOU have certainly deviated from this week's issue. "
Really Franco?
I was only answering your question which I understand was meant as a bait (devious) to force me to deviate from the subject.
So I believe that makes us accomplices! :-)
Franco Farrugia
Jul 24th 2012, 14:34
@ Mrs Debattista: Moi? Baiting you? With all due respect, you overrate yourself. :-)
Richard Curmi
Jul 21st 2012, 08:47
@ Jessica De Battista
Does being practical mean transfer parents' responsibility to the teachers?
Franco Farrugia
Jul 21st 2012, 10:45
That, sir, is exactly what my original answer to Ms Debattista was - it never reached publication, though and I simply have no idea why. Well done! That is exactly the jist of Ms Debattista - way to go, I must add, transferring parents' duties to the school, to boarding, to nannies, to summer schools, etc ... etc ... etc...
Jessica Debattista
Jul 21st 2012, 13:43
@Richard Curmi and Franco Farrugia: “Does being practical mean transfer parents' responsibility to the teachers?”
No Mr Curmi. Being practical means seeing things as they really are and trying to find a way how to solve problems by using one’s common sense.
How can a parent who is computer illiterate know how to go about blocking questionable sites (for instance)? Many of these parents still exist unfortunately though I suppose by the next generation it will be different.
So what is wrong if a child, who knows that his parents are unable to help him/her, seeks help from a teacher he/she looks up to and trusts?
Franco Farrugia
Jul 21st 2012, 16:10
@ Ms Debattista: Parents should get computer-literate, not only out of self-respect but also out of respect for their children. Parents are quite capable at many things - they should seriously consider going back to education and training!
Nothing wrong with following teachers' advice, I am sure, but the case is usually that parents pass on all of their responsibilities on the teachers!
Jessica Debattista
Jul 21st 2012, 19:57
@Franco Farrugia:
- “Parents should get computer-literate, not only out of self-respect but also out of respect for their children. Parents are quite capable at many things - they should seriously consider going back to education and training!!”
I agree 100% though there will always be a minority who will never get the hang of it.
- “Nothing wrong with following teachers' advice, I am sure, but the case is usually that parents pass on all of their responsibilities on the teachers!”..,...
That is debatable but maybe not on this week’s blog.
Kenneth Cassar
Jul 24th 2012, 11:56
Being computer-illiterate is no excuse. If a parent is computer-illiterate, he/she should seek technical help from ISPs or Software companies. If one can afford a PC and internet, one could afford the comparatively little extra cost to make the internet environment safe for one's children.
Jessica Debattista
Jul 25th 2012, 08:02
@ Kenneth Cassar: “If one can afford a PC and internet, one could afford the comparatively little extra cost to make the internet environment safe for one's children.”
You mean ‘safer’ Kenneth for the internet can never be absolutely safe for children. Filters are known not to be totally foolproof.
It is so easy to say that one can protect children by resorting to all these ways about how to go about making internet safe for children but what I think one should work on is the putting down of certain obnoxious sites which pop up at the innocent click of a button.
I tried it myself on my PC (which is not protected) and I was alarmed at how easy it is to get hard core pornography merely by typing a seemingly (for children) innocent word such as “Games”.
I went through the steps to enable the parental control available on my PC. It did work but to such an extent that it became a nuisance, for I was required to type in my password every time I left the page to move to another. It kept asking for my password which of course was no problem for me but can you imagine a parent having to be at the beck and call of the child to come and write down the password every time they had to leave the page?
Let me tell you it is a frustration!!!
It is true that there are other means which are probably more user friendly and I’m sure that parents are willing to acquire them but then again, children do not use only the home computer for they visit friends’ houses whose computer might not be “protected”.
Kenneth Cassar
Jul 25th 2012, 09:15
@ Jessica Debattista:
Yes, I did mean safer. Nothing is, or can ever be, completely safe. We can only do our best.
Lawrence Fenech
Jul 21st 2012, 03:15
Din gdida partri iwahhal fl'internet/
Franco Farrugia
Jul 20th 2012, 23:24
It seems that some correspondence I sent in, got lost.
Louise Vella
Jul 20th 2012, 20:56
No mention of the roles the bishops and Rome itself played in enabling the sexual abuse crisis to impact far more young people than it should have. This is really a conspiracy of silence aimed to protect the church's reputation and to avoid scandal rather than protect children.
The main problem is that the church allowed this to happen in many countries, and the hierarchy was principally responsible for tolerating, protecting and, in some cases, allowing the perpetrators to continue operating among innocent children. The leaders of the Church turned evil priests loose on innocent children.
So far words and apologies, investigations and charters, have not restored credibility to the church's message or messengers, and will forever be inadequate to restore credibility. Credibility, along with trust will not be restored until the hierarchy tells the whole ugly truth and holds fully responsible those who abused as well as those who covered for the abusers.
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Jul 21st 2012, 00:12
I do not know how any Roman Catholic priest has the cheek to take the high moral ground on any issue let alone on child abuse.
Franco Farrugia
Jul 21st 2012, 16:13
@ Chetcuti: Why not? We've been through this, and back again. If your brother was a criminal, should you be help accountable as well, you who are innocent? Or is it that just because your brother is guilty, by default it means you are so, as well?
Or, according to your wisdom, then, nobody on earth has a right to speak about morality, since all kinds of people have been found guilty of abuse, be they priests, homosexuals, heteros, parents - fathers and mothers as well as grandparents, ... even Ministers and Chief Justices, worldwide. Even Presidents of International Banks! I rather think you just squirm at the very mention of 'morality'. Tough!
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Jul 21st 2012, 23:32
Franco, no I do not squirm at the mention of morality. With respect, you are obviously short on logic. I do squirm at members of an institution with a history of protecting child abusers by not reporting them to the police or establishing review teams that take years to resolve taking the high moral ground. Priests are representative of the church. A man does not represent his brother (or sister) and should a Minister abuse a child, then the matter is investigated by the courts, not decided by fellow ministers. Similarly if a Chief Justice abuse a child, his behaviour is not investigated by his fellow justices. By the way, there are many versions of morality and I am not surprised you simply do not get it.
Franco Farrugia
Jul 23rd 2012, 17:46
@ Chetcuti: You seem to dislike those people standing in judgement over others on moral issues; yet, read what you yourself are implying - quote, 'By the way, there are many versions of morality and I am not surprised you simply do not get it.'
And no, there are not 'versions of morality'. There is only one morality, the one you appear to dislike so much.
And by the way, priests and religious do not 'represent' the Church. You need to get back to your Catechesis books!
J Farrugia
Jul 20th 2012, 09:19
I think, ''Get your own house in order'' comes to mind.
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Jul 20th 2012, 10:30
Well, the best way to defend one's institution is to go on the offensive. The Catholic Church does this very well. And it has been doing it for centuries.
Mr Joseph Carmel Chetcuti
Jul 20th 2012, 03:49
You are wrong, very wrong to say that "Child abuse is considered to be despicable." Child abuse IS despicable. Let's keep our focus on the institutions that protect abusers and not deflect our attention away from them.
Franco Farrugia
Jul 19th 2012, 19:51
The best way to prevent child abuse on the Internet is parental presence and a good parent-child relationship. Nothing less and nothing more!
Jessica Debattista
Jul 20th 2012, 10:10
True! But let us be practical.
Children spend long stretches of time on the internet and no parent has the time to be vigilant for the whole duration. Grown ups have to carry on with their chores and if both parents work, parental presence is even more reduced.
Some children who encounter abuse on the internet are not always ready to mention it to their parents even if there is “a good parent-child relationship” for parents are not always computer literate and consequently their only way of protecting their child is by keeping them away from the computer. Obviously children will react to this ban by keeping mum the next time they encounter a worrying situation.
Children have to be protected and teachers are making them very much aware of what they might have to face when they are at their computers. And children do follow the teacher’s instructions. Children should take down details about the site/s which distress them and report it to the teacher who should be able to take steps to see that such obnoxious behaviour is controlled.
Franco Farrugia
Jul 21st 2012, 07:47
@ Ms Debattista: I had an answer for you but somehow, it never reached these pages and I simply have no idea why!
Please choose the reason of your report below: