The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Moldova draws the publics attention to the risk of cyberbullying when children surf the Internet. Cyberbullying means bullying through the use of digital technologies. It is a repeated behavior in order to scare, anger or humiliate those targeted.
The warning comes in the context of the Safer Internet Day on February 8.
For example, cyberbullying is when someone spreads lies or posts embarrassing photos of someone on social networks, sends threatening messages, copies a person’s identity and sends malicious messages to someone.
On Safer Internet Day, La Strada International Center brings up the topic of online sexual abuse of children. “This year, we want you to listen to the abuser’s thoughts and motivations. By understanding the way of thinking of an adult motivated to abuse a child, knowing his manipulation techniques, we become better equipped as adults in our mission to protect children”, says La Strada. The Center’s experts say that online sexual abuse of children happens more often than adults imagine. Parents are advised to talk to their children about the dangers of the virtual environment, and for more information to access the specialized page www.siguronline.md.
At Moldova Street a special podcast for children has been created about what children should know about internet safety. The podcast can be listened to at zuper.md.
In a press release, the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemitanu” says that parents, caregivers and teachers are facing new challenges, as children’s activities become increasingly connected to the Internet – from communication, to education to leisure.
“These challenges are exacerbated in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, when children spend more and more time online, including little ones, who do not know well enough what to do to stay safe in the virtual environment. Almost half of 9-11 year olds do not know how to change their privacy settings on the internet. That is why it is important to start the discussion about online safety from the moment children take their first steps into the virtual world”, says USMF.
In 2022, which is declared the European Year of Youth, Internet Safety Day is marked under the slogan “Together for a better internet”.
Internet Safety Day is marked in about 200 countries, and has been organized since 2004 by the Insafe / INHOPE network of European Internet Safety Centers, with the support of the European Commission.
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