UNICEF, Facebook to make digital world safer for children

1299

DHAKA, March 30, 2018 (BSS) – UNICEF and Facebook have launched a year- long mass awareness campaign today to protect the children from the perils of the digital world and increase their access to safe online content.

More than 10,000 students from 100+ schools, teachers, parents, key policy makers, industry leaders, top 50 internet products from ICT industry, and 2 million online visitors actively participated in the event, said a press release.

The programme was organized at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Novo Theatre where State Minister of ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak was the chief guest at the opening session and Minister of Science and Technology Architect Yeafesh Osman at the closing session.

UNICEF Bangladesh Representative Edouard Beigbeder and Head of Programs, India and South Asia, Facebook Ritesh Mehta were present.

According to the ‘State of the World’s Children 2017: Children in a digital world’, lack of adequate knowledge about proper internet use increases children’s vulnerability to risks and harms, including misuse of their private information, access to harmful content, and cyberbullying.

The ubiquitous presence of mobile devices, the report notes, has made online access for many children less supervised and potentially more dangerous.

The recent collaboration in between UNICEF and Facebook to promote online safety for children intends to help guide more effective policymaking and more responsible business practices to benefit children.

The year-long campaign aims to reach altogether 25 million Bangladeshi children along with their parents and teachers to ensure Children’s Internet Protection from ‘Online Risks’ by elaborating the issues related to children’s well-being in this digital era.