Dubai Digital calls for monitoring children’s browsing on the Internet

Dubai Digital stressed that protecting our children while using the Internet is a top priority for parents and schools, noting that the “Family Protection Guide,” which it recently launched, discusses the mechanism for children’s safety when using the Internet, and identifies the risks that await children on social media platforms.

The guide – which was directed to various schools in the emirate – shows that the Internet provides a wealth of information and resources, but it also exposes children to potential risks, noting that monitoring is important to protect children from inappropriate content, promote healthy habits, enhance good behavior, communication and trust, and prevent misinformation and online fraud.

The guide identified six steps to set digital boundaries for children, including: family discussions, setting age-appropriate rules, identifying screen-free areas in the home (bedrooms), and not using mealtimes to browse devices. It also included setting a “bedtime for devices” by setting a specific time to turn off devices, “open communication” by encouraging children to talk about their experiences with using the Internet, whether good or bad, and “parenting by example,” through which the guardian follows healthy habits in front of the children to be a role model for them.

The guide reviewed the procedures for identifying cyberbullying and ways to address it for children, starting with noticing “signs of discomfort” such as mood swings, isolation, or secrecy about online activity, “collecting evidence” by saving screenshots or messages as evidence of cyberbullying, “open communication” by talking to the child and giving them security, and telling them that their guardian is there to help, “reporting and blocking,” so that the guardian reports cyberbullying to take the necessary action and block the bully, and “seeking support” if the situation is dangerous, so that support can be sought from the school, a specialist, or the cybercrime department.

Dubai Digital confirmed that social media makes it easier for a person to communicate with friends and family, but it involves risks.

The guide identifies potential risks for each social media platform that children may encounter. Regarding Facebook, it confirmed that there are potential risks to it, including exposure to bullying, excessive sharing of personal information online, difficulty distinguishing reliable information, and excessive browsing, which can increase screen time.

As for Instagram, the photo- and video-sharing app, risks include being subjected to comments or pressure to portray a perfect life, and being exposed to violent content. The focus on perfect appearances can lead to self-esteem issues, and constant browsing and updates can lead to increased screen time.

The risks of using TikTok among children include the potential for exposure to inappropriate content (bullying, violence, and adult themes), despite supervision efforts, and the potential for addiction, due to the short and quick video format, which can lead to prolonged screen time. Cyberbullying comments and challenges can also create stress or negative thoughts, and may cause misconceptions about body shape or unrealistic beauty standards, in addition to privacy concerns and exposure to online predators.

The guide said that for Snapchat, disappearing messages can make it difficult to collect evidence of cyberbullying, and possible exposure to inappropriate content or contact with strangers. The Map Snap feature allows friends to see each other’s locations on a map, which can be a privacy breach or put some of them at risk. It stressed that there are potential risks to using YouTube among children, such as the possibility of inappropriate content (violence, profanity, etc.) slipping through filtering systems, addictive algorithms that can lead to excessive screen time, exposure to cyberbullying comments, the possibility of online predators in the comments sections, as well as unrealistic images, and social pressure (beauty standards, materialism).

• “Family Protection Guide” identifies the risks of social media platforms.