There is no stronger shield than family.

Speaking at the launch ceremony of the "Protecting and Supporting Children's Development in the Online Environment Program 2026-2030," in response to the 2026 Action Month for Children on May 29th, the Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairwoman of the National Committee for Children, Pham Thi Thanh Tra, emphasized the message: "No technology can replace the care of parents and families; no shield is as strong as the deepest companionship of the family for each child." In the context of cyberspace becoming a regular living and learning environment for millions of children, the Deputy Prime Minister's message also serves as a reminder that protecting children now goes beyond simply preventing existing risks and dangers; it also requires strengthening protection for children in the online environment, in which the family plays an extremely important role.

For children, cyberspace has now become a new living space. In this environment, they learn, play, communicate, explore the world, and gradually form their thinking and personality. From a developmental perspective, the online environment opens up unprecedented opportunities for children to access knowledge, enhance their digital skills, develop creative thinking, and integrate into society to become digital citizens. But opportunities always come with challenges. Along with the rapid development of digital technology , risks in the online environment have also become increasingly complex and unpredictable.

A survey published at a meeting of the National Assembly 's Committee on Culture and Society in late May 2026 revealed that children face numerous risks when participating in the online environment, such as account theft, leakage of personal information, defamation, online bullying, fraud, and coercion into dangerous activities. In particular, 85.6% of the children surveyed stated that being abused online seriously affects their mental health. This is a very worrying figure.

Because behind those numbers lie not only psychological trauma, invisible fears, and mental health consequences, but more dangerously, the risk of distorted perceptions, behaviors, and values ​​among a segment of children. When harmful and toxic content frequently appears on smartphone screens; when insults, threats, and incitement are considered normal; when dangerous games and challenges are strongly promoted on social media… then the online environment becomes a breeding ground for personality deviations.

It's worth noting that these risks don't entirely stem from children's lack of understanding or legal inadequacies; in many cases, they originate from the family itself. Many parents give their children smartphones at a very young age but lack the time to supervise and guide them on how to use them. Many people know their children are using social media but don't know what they're accessing, who they're connecting with, or what risks they're facing.

We can build technical barriers, develop technological solutions, improve the legal framework, strengthen state management forces… but protecting and supporting children in the online environment will be very difficult to succeed if families remain uninvolved. No software can replace the constant attention of grandparents and parents; no algorithm can replace sincere conversations between parents and children; and no monitoring mechanism is more effective than the constant companionship of the family with each child.

In the ecosystem of protecting children online, the family always plays a fundamental role. This is because the family is where children's personalities are first formed, the closest educational environment, and where children can easily find protection, support, and guidance. When families fulfill their role well, children will be equipped with sufficient "digital resilience" to know how to identify risks, protect themselves, and use the internet positively and responsibly.

Based on this understanding, to enhance the role of families in protecting and supporting children's development in the online environment, it is first necessary to raise awareness and digital skills among parents so that each parent truly understands the digital environment their children are participating in. At the same time, actively building a digital culture within each family is crucial, so that parents become companions, listening, sharing, and guiding their children in the digital world instead of simply forbidding or imposing. Adults themselves must also set a good example in using digital technology, because children often learn more from the actions of their grandparents and parents than from advice.

Technology is changing every day, and therefore, forms of child abuse in the online environment will also become increasingly sophisticated. However, no algorithm can replace love, no software can replace care, and no technology can replace the role of grandparents and parents. If in the past the family was the place that protected children from dangers in real life, today the family must become a "digital shield," knowing how to cooperate with schools and society in educating children in digital skills; helping them to protect their personal data, identify harmful information, prevent fraud, and behave responsibly in cyberspace.

Protecting and supporting children in the online environment is not only about safeguarding the happiness of each family today, but also about protecting the quality of human resources, the future of the nation, and the competitiveness of the country tomorrow. It is time for every Vietnamese family to proactively act, to consider accompanying their children in cyberspace as a civic responsibility, a social responsibility, and a sacred mission for the future of the country in the digital age.

SONG GIA

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/khong-la-chan-nao-vung-chac-hon-gia-dinh-a205983.html