Digital Parenting: Don’t be left out!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As you are already aware, Child Online Africa is a non-governmental organization which focuses on creating awareness towards a safe internet for children.

Child Online Africa’s interest and commitment to the wellbeing of children and young people online has compelled us to share this reminder with you regarding the ongoing developments regarding the digital space. In today’s connected world, it is important that children know how to be safe and responsible online. For now, we have heard about a number of games and platforms online which pose potential danger to the healthy growth and security of our children both of school going age and out of school.

Last month it was about ‘Momo challenge’, today it is about the movie or game we all hear about, the next could be a different thing. We are all online now in one way or the other, the Internet has brought a revolution which makes it a lot easier to be online not only with a device like phone or tablet, but one can be online by the fact that you are using a Bluetooth enabled devices which are not necessarily communication devices.

These devices and platforms our children are exposed to nowadays have the potential of affecting them positively and negatively against our own personal standards for raising them. One important fact we cannot wish away is that children are increasingly using the online environment to communicate and form relationships and this should be considered as a natural part of their development. However, it is our collective responsibility to educate them on the threats they may experience and also protect them to making the online environment as safe as possible.

We are partnering with families to raise awareness of this online threats. Please let us all become self-aware and take responsibility for our own security. If you do not speak with your child, a stranger will so for you. The kind of games we allow children interface with these days also go a long way to influencing the perspectives they have of life. Let us encourage the children to use online safety practices and not accepting invitation from strangers or take part in anonymous challenges. Please monitor your child’s social media accounts and other online activities and if possible, ask your service provider to install parental controls and filters in addition. Above all, we should be bold to question suspicious characters in our neighborhoods, schools and public spaces. To help you teach them the basics of good digital citizenship, feel free to download some materials:www.childonlineafrica.org/ digitalcitizenorwww.childonlineafrica.org/sidafrica to help them build the right character for the cyberspace.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact directly via WhatsApp on 0242305656 or email at: email@childonlineafrica.org I remain yours sincerely,

Source: Awo Aidam Amenyah,

Executive Director