Under the shadow of COVID-19, the lives of millions of children and young people have shrunk to just their homes and their screens. For many, being online quickly became the only way to play, socialise, and learn.
While technology and digital solutions provide significant opportunities to keep children learning, entertained, and connected, these same tools also increase their exposure to a myriad of risks, such as online sexual exploitation, harmful content, misinformation, and cyberbullying that threaten their rights, safety, and mental well-being.
“At the same time, the concern is mounting that parents are handing over laptops, tablets, and phones to their children at ages two and three to keep them busy, leaving them exposed to radiation from these gadgets, less outdoor activity, reduced sleep quality, and unhealthy eating habits,” said Dr. Mrs Ibukun Odusote, the executive director of Pearl’s Learning Hub.
Dr Odusote recently spoke at a symposium in Lagos organised by the United Children’s Fund in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Budget, the National Guild of Editors, and the Diamond Award for Media Excellence on the theme “Reinforcing the Role of the Media in Mainstreaming Child Rights.”
Ironically, she claimed that some kids also fall asleep with their phones or laptops on their chests, allowing the radiation from these devices to enter their bodies.
Additionally, there have been instances where phones that were on the bed or being used in the kitchen have exploded, seriously injuring individuals.
She claims that the hazardous content appears on the device even while kids are using it to complete schoolwork, diverting their attention and ultimately causing them to navigate between websites without even realising it.
“Children have had complete sex online. Whatever it is that is being done, physically they are doing to themselves, and it is full masturbation. And sometimes they have FaceTime with their partners while being nude.
“They also experienced numerous financial problems. Due to their exceptional intelligence, they are informed that they would be teaching young people various subjects, such as calculus, as part of a business. Money is sent to them after they provide their account information. To get access to them. Ultimately, they request the parent or caregiver’s account information, only to utilise it to trick them.
Dr Odusote stated that cyberbullying and other forms of peer-to-peer violence are also common when they login to social media or instant messaging platforms.
They are shown false photos of people they have dealt with. To give others an idea of what they had done, they simply used Photoshop or images of other objects. There are a lot of cases.
She stated that in order to shield their students from needless risk in cyberspace, educators who offer homework that involves the use of the internet must also be aware of how the internet operates.
“Firewalls must be installed in the network even in schools to stop students from accessing unwanted websites, track down websites they visit, and monitor their online activities,” she continued.
Additionally, parents ought to install software on devices that kids and teens use for pleasure or other purposes.
Dr Odusote urged that families also break the culture of speaking at home with their phones, playing on phones at the dining table, and letting children watch cartoons or movies on phones instead of the television.
There is less television radiation and a decreased likelihood of visiting inappropriate websites.
She also offered alternatives to using phones and tablets or watching films and cartoons to keep them occupied.
She stated, “There are some things we did in times past that we need to get back to doing. One of them is storytelling. Despite being far apart, people sit together at mealtime and use their phones. After that, people just relay what they have just witnessed.
“We now have a designated day in my household where no phones are allowed. It is difficult. It is challenging. We are viewed as insane by the kids. However, we just state that we have lived without a phone for years. And we’re still here. To lessen the emphasis on phones, particularly for kids, we can do the following.
Dr Odusote said the risks from technology and digital solutions like misinformation and sexual exploitation are more disastrous because this may result in social isolation, mental health issues, substance abuse, self-harm, or suicide, as well as an increased likelihood of exhibiting abusive behaviours themselves in adulthood.
Strategies to promote online safety must protect the educational and health benefits of digital technologies while addressing the risks of exposure to violence, exploitation, and abuse, as well as privacy breaches.
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