Cyber Security And School Children

In the last few years, we have been reading disturbing news regarding children getting depressed and in some cases taking extreme steps. A lot of material is available explaining the causes and remedies for the same but unfortunately things are not getting contained. There are multiple factors for stress but in the case of a majority of the children, this is performance-related. In the present time, most of the goals are set by machines and by using technology we can achieve better results but when it comes to learning and performance by human beings this may not always be possible. I am not saying that the machines do not fail, they do pretty often but nobody can say anything to them and even if it is said that machines do not have emotions neither are they affected by expectations nor do they get hurt. As most people are surrounded by gadgets and machines they do think like them but when they do not achieve what they aim at, then stress takes over due to which goal becomes difficult to complete and which compounds the problem and the stress. Most children remain in the nuclear family, and parents are also working, so they do not have anyone around to share the problem. Then they try to find a solution through Google which provides lots of information and most of that may not be of any use for the children. Thus, in spite of getting the solution, they further get confused These machines/ gadgets sometimes behave like human beings and the children are already in the grip of stress and get into the unending and complicated net of the internet which has revolutionised the life of the mankind for the good and equally for the worse. This takes us to a very serious problem of cybercrimes and our children are falling prey to much more than what we apparently are aware of.

All my readers would agree that most of us have become prisoners of the internet and despite the best of our efforts, we have not been able to come out of this prison. Also, our children in the present have very limited opportunities to play outside their homes due to multiple factors. So physical health is already compromised and now on account of being in an isolated environment, emotional health is also taking a toll and to add to the agony, the space provided by the absence of the family has been occupied by net and gadgets which are causing serious mental health/ psychological problems. As per the latest report in Child Line India, out of 3 internet users, 1 is a child under 18 years of age which is almost 33 per cent of the total.

On the same site, they have published an article on the topic of online safety and I have used some information from there in my article.  There may be two types of cybercrimes- cyber-enabled crimes and cyber-dependent crimes. The first category covers most of the crimes in our daily life including bullying, harassment and virtual sexual exploitation of children. The second type is usually hacking and malware etc.

While I was doing a course in London on the use of technology in schools in 2008 our teacher talked about tracking our travel from our country to another country or within the country, this was a kind of big surprise to me. Also during that time most of the educators discussed the concept of digital citizenship. This all seemed a little strange but within no time what was perceived then came as the truth and today we all have been affected by cyber-attacks in one way or the other. Due to this reason, the governments of all countries have come out (and continuously working on that) with cyber security laws and data protection acts etc. Now let us ponder upon the types of cybercrimes to which we can fall prey, but I shall focus more on the issues concerning our children.

We all are aware that most schools use technology not only for teaching learning in the classrooms but it is extended outside the schools also. Almost all communication with the students and the parents is through emails, messages and in many cases through platforms like MS Teams, Webex , Zoom etc. Covid period multiplied the dependency on gadgets using the internet exponentially and so has the exposure of children to the internet leading to cyber threats. Once we get the gadget in our hands and start using it for something resulting in positive outcomes also makes us habitual of the same. Children are innocent and thus become addicted easily, but why blame them only? Think about yourself, as an adult and guess how much time you spent on your phone or laptop. If the system used by the individual is not secure then any site which is accessed for educational learning might show popups which may take you to undesirable sites. I have rarely come across a child who would have taken a laptop not for the purpose of education/ academic requirements. As you cannot carry this heavy machine everywhere and the same task can be performed by the mobile phone so the kids require that also. As many children go to tuition/ coaching on their own so for their safety parents also encourage them to carry phones with them. I had written earlier also that for getting some time for themselves parents play some videos on mobile and expose the toddlers to the same. What I want to emphasize is that the children do not necessarily demand phones but this has become a necessity for them today. This means there is no escape from this so the best we can do is make our children aware of the problems it can cause and how to remain safe. I am sharing my experience with the school-going students who confide in their parents and teachers. Some do so at a very early stage and others when they are found so deep into the trouble caused by cyberbullying, digital addiction and other repercussions. Let us now revisit the problems our children face: -

 

Cyberbullying- A phenomenon where individuals are subjected to harassment, mockery, or forced out of a group. The relative facelessness provided by the digital realm can intensify this harmful behaviour, causing significant emotional trauma and undermining children’s self-esteem.

Digital addiction – The dopamine-driven reward system of platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and other social media platforms leads children to spend excessive amounts of time online, resulting in reduced face-to-face interactions, and physical activities which results in a drop in academics.

Social Comparison- Children tend to compare their lives to the seemingly perfect lives of their peers and influencers leading to feelings of inadequacy and distorted sense of reality. This has been observed that if a child posts something on social media and the likes are less they feel not worthy or incompetent or not beautiful if the post is a picture.  

Privacy and digital footprint - Children often lack the understanding of the potential consequences of sharing personal information and images online. It is a fact that once something goes on the internet it remains there forever, this is the reason as it is said “Once you are online, you are always there.”

Child pornography and Sexting: This is one of the most serious problems our children might face because hackers and perturbed-minded people morph the photos posted online and misuse them. There are a number of serials and movies on OTTs showcasing the real cases in which the lives of young children (both boys and girls) were ruined for a little or in some cases no mistakes).

Children Identity Theft: The Children often do not fully read or understand the privacy settings of their accounts (this is true even in the case of adults too). Many of them are not aware that they are individually targeted because the sites keep track of their habits and demographics.

 

Mental health, Behavioural disorder and Narcissistic Emotional abuse: There is substantial and observable impairment like mental or behavioural disorders, including anxiety, depression, withdrawal, aggression, delayed development and self-admiration.

 

Health issues: It encompasses a range of health issues, including sleep disturbances, decreased cognitive development and a heightened risk of obesity. The eyesight issues are very common and you would have noticed most children wearing glasses of high-power lens. The neck problem, due to body posture is taking its own toll. Many children complain of pain in their fingers and forearms due to excessive and continuous use of these parts of the body.

Suggestive solutions to overcome these challenges:

Addressing these challenges necessitates a multifaceted approach that involves parents, educators, policymakers, and children themselves. First and foremost, fostering open and nonjudgmental communication between parents or guardians, teachers and children is vital.

Educating children about the importance of digital literacy can empower them to discern between authentic content and fabricated narratives, reducing the impact of unrealistic comparisons. But before this, they need to be taught how much is enough and necessary. As mentioned before there is no way children will not use or should not use the net but how much and for what?

Promoting a balanced lifestyle that encourages various offline activities is very important. Encouraging children to engage in hobbies and sports, and spend quality time with friends and family can help counter the attraction of social media addiction. There are families in our country where the entire family eats together and during that time no member is allowed to keep any electronic gadget around. Also, there are individuals (and also the groups) who observe no to the internet and mobile etc. at least once a week. Some people call it digital fasting.

Schools can play a pivotal role by integrating digital literacy and online etiquette into their curriculum, enabling students to navigate the digital landscape responsibly.

Implementing technology-free zones and designated screen time limits at home can also promote healthy habits from an early age.

Schools, parents, and communities can initiate awareness campaigns that promote digital interpersonal skills like kindness, empathy, and respect.

Creating safe spaces for children to discuss their concerns and experiences can help them build resilience against cyberbullying while fostering a sense of belonging and support.

Empower children to navigate the online world with pliability and mindfulness, mitigating the negative effects and maximizing the positive potential of social media.

In a nutshell, the challenges that children face due to digital exposure are complex and multifaceted, requiring a comprehensive and collaborative approach. This is not impossible and can be done by nurturing open communication, providing education, promoting a balanced lifestyle, and cultivating a culture of digital empathy. Our children are born innocent and if we expose them to a positive and healthy environment at home and in school their lives will be happier than what it appears to be today. In the end, I would like to say that the greater danger to their lives is too much use of gadgets and the internet by the parents and adults which deprives our children of their time which was supposed to be only for children in the family. When they do not get attention from their parent they seek attention in the virtual life which drags them deeper into this blind and dark world. So, the first action to be taken is by the parents and adults in the family and expect the children to get out of the problems they are likely to have due to the uncontrolled use of digital tools. We together can do and mind it, we have to do it FOR OUR CHILDREN because they are our future.