The Internet Society Ghana Chapter (ISOC) in collaboration with L &A Memorial Academy School in Mallam Gbawe-Accra, Ice Joy Ghana and Tech Today GH on Tuesday February 8, join other West African countries to celebrate the nineteenth African Safer Internet Day (ASID).
The celebration which aims is to help sensitise and reorient children as well as young people on the safe and positive use of the online technology in Ghana under the global focus, “Together for A Better Internet”, and raise awareness on emerging child online issues and current concerns and the need for all stakeholders including parents, guardians,teachers,civil society,and religious bodies to get interested in the experiences of children and young people online.
The Child online protection function is prioritised under the ASID celebration and constitutes the basis for the implementation of the major Child Online Protection.
The ISOC Ghana President Mr. Francis Acquah Amaning in his opening remarks stated that, for every awareness created, a child can be protected, secured and saved from online criminal abuses like sextortion, cyberbullying, cyber grooming, sexting, possession and distribution of child pornography.
“Young people need to feel safe and empowered when navigating the online world so that they can fully benefit from the digital world”, he said.
He continued that, its goal is to make the internet a safer and better place for everyone, where they can utilize technology responsibly, respectfully, and creatively.
Mr. Amaning in outlining some safety on the internet said, putting sensitive information online like date of birth, credit card numbers, password to your email,phone,etc and pictures can put you at risk.
He advised that, “changing of password should be done every month and must make sure they don’t open any malicious sites and if you not sure of the site don’t click”.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Stephen Donkor noted that, the coronavirus crisis obliged them to move most of their daily activities online and when we let our children browse the internet, we want them to be protected.
He added that, the school is committed to make the digital transformation benefit student and teachers safely.
” Whatever is illegal offline must be illegal online and Stakeholders should now expect the tech industry to play it’s part for a safer Internet” , he emphasized.
He finally encouraged all stakeholders to get involved to raise awareness on online safety issues to promote a safer and positive use of digital technology especially among children and young people.
170 students were engaged and were asked to write what they don’t like on the internet where most of them said , pornography, ads that are not for their consumption when they are researching on their assignments, animations with nude pictures among many others and after the whole section they were made to pledge to stay safer on the internet.
Some dignitaries present at the celebration, the CEO of Tech Today GH Mr. Emmanuel Nana Debrah, Shadrach Ankrah Tech Today GH, Confidence Mawusi, Stephen Mawautor Donkor,Yovo Vincent Kwamivi , Abraham Tamatey all from Internet Society, Ghana Chapter.
Safer Internet Day is celebrated in over a hundred and seventy countries worldwide. The event is celebrated globally in February each year to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people and to inspire a national conversation about using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically, and creatively.
