To prevent children from falling into the "black hole" of the virtual world...

To prevent children from falling into the "black hole" of the virtual world, it is crucial to educate them on how to behave intelligently, use social media safely, and protect themselves.

Để trẻ em không sa vào 'hố đen' trên thế giới ảo...

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga believes it is necessary to educate children on how to behave intelligently and healthily in the virtual world . (Photo: Provided by the interviewee)

Many dangers lurk.

Over the past period, the Party, the State, and the entire political system have strongly engaged in protecting children on the Internet. Vietnam has developed a legal system for protecting children in the online environment, creating an important legal basis, including: the Law on Children, the Law on Cybersecurity, the Law on Information Security, the Law on Access to Information, etc.

Article 54 of the Law on Children specifically stipulates the responsibility for protecting children in the online environment. Relevant agencies and organizations are responsible for disseminating information, educating, and protecting children when participating in the online environment in all forms. Parents, teachers, and caregivers are responsible for educating children with the knowledge and skills to protect themselves when participating in the online environment.

It must be emphasized that protecting children in general, and protecting children in the online environment in particular, is an interdisciplinary issue requiring the coordinated efforts of many sectors and the entire society. Besides positive and useful information, there is a significant amount of negative information that is not well controlled on social media, such as pornography, violence, drugs, and negative behaviors. Meanwhile, children who use phones daily are easily exposed to this type of information, which can easily lead to distorted thoughts and actions.

Furthermore, the dissemination of private information and online bullying negatively impact children's psychology, causing anxiety and fear, and affecting their quality of life. In addition, the enticement and manipulation of children into harassment, fraud, intimidation, illegal activities, and addiction to social media, games, and the internet significantly affect their health, mental well-being, education, and lives. Given this situation, I believe it is necessary to educate children on how to behave intelligently and use social media safely to avoid falling into the "dark holes" of the virtual world.

Parents must act as a "filter" for information for their children in the online environment. (Source: Internet)

Helping children develop smart online behavior.

In 2019, Vietnam and ASEAN countries adopted the Declaration on Protecting Children from All Forms of Online Exploitation and Abuse in ASEAN. In 2021, they adopted the Declaration on Eliminating Child Bullying in ASEAN, which includes online child bullying.

Specifically, the Declaration on Protecting Children from All Forms of Online Exploitation and Abuse in ASEAN outlined key measures such as: promoting, developing, and implementing national legal frameworks in each ASEAN member country and working towards perfecting the principles of protecting children from all forms of online abuse and exploitation in ASEAN member countries.

In addition, Decision No. 830/QD-TTg dated June 1, 2021, of the Prime Minister also outlined the main tasks and solutions, namely: Building and perfecting the legal framework; Education and communication to raise awareness and equip skills; Implementing technical measures and solutions, applying technology; Improving organizational structure, enhancing law enforcement capacity, and strengthening international cooperation.

The crucial issue is educating children on how to behave intelligently and use social media safely. To achieve this, children need to be provided with the necessary skills and knowledge to protect themselves and interact healthily online. In other words, it's necessary to build children's resilience against harmful content in the online environment.

Currently, the risks of children being harmed online are becoming increasingly complex and unpredictable. Therefore, the role of the family is more important than ever. Parents need to guide their children on how to participate in and access websites with healthy content. They should also warn children about the dangers they may face online and how to handle them. More accurately, parents must act as a "filter" for information for their children in the virtual world.

Parents need to improve their knowledge and skills in educating children about ethics, character, and children's rights. Furthermore, parents need to encourage children to access websites with wholesome content, warn them about potential dangers online, and provide guidance on how to respond to them.

Furthermore, organizations providing information and communication products and services, and organizing activities in the online environment, must implement measures to ensure the safety and privacy of children in accordance with the law.

In addition, it is necessary to build and improve the legal framework; educate and communicate to raise awareness and equip skills; implement technical measures and solutions, and apply technology; improve organizational structure and enhance law enforcement capacity; and strengthen international cooperation.

To prevent children from becoming victims of online risks, it is necessary to instill in them habits and skills for safe internet use, helping them learn how to avoid the dangers lurking in the online world. Children must be taught how to identify harmful and inappropriate information and videos, and how to control their personal information. Schools should incorporate this content into their curriculum or extracurricular activities to teach children about safe internet use, potential situations, and how to prevent them.

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