Holidays: Keep an eye on your child’s online engagements
Nassolo concedes that children cannot be locked away from the Internet, but parents need to be watchful so that they know what their children are doing online.
“We need to teach children to navigate the internet street safely. We have to learn to regulate use,” Nassolo said.
KAMPALA - Many schools are breaking for the holidays this month, and children will, most probably, revert to online for entertainment and engagement.
The debate of how safe children are online continues to plague many a home. Nevertheless, the digital space cannot be ignored.
“The digital environment has transformed how we learn, communicate, and conduct business. Our children are growing up in a highly connected world where the internet supports education, creativity, innovation, and social interaction. The digital space offers immense opportunities for their growth and development,” said Uganda Communications Commission Executive Director Nyombi Thembo in a speech to commemorate World Consumer Rights Day in March.
UCC found that children’s online safety is so important that the national theme was Child Online Protection.
According to Julie Nassolo, a teacher and counsellor, parents should view the internet as a main street.
“It has services like a bank, a pharmacy, a clinic, sometimes a school and a gym… All these are important services, but that same street can also have conmen, heavy traffic and thieves...some even have open manholes... So likewise, the internet has the useful side and the evil side depending on how one navigates it,” she said.
Nassolo concedes that children cannot be locked away from the Internet, but parents need to be watchful so that they know what their children are doing online.
“We need to teach children to navigate the internet street safely. We have to learn to regulate use,” she said.
Nassolo shared the following points:
▪️“Show and tell” strategy: instead of banning them from apps like Tiktok and Snapchat, ask them to show you how those apps work and talk to them about the downsides of the apps.
▪️“Think twice before you hit send”: Remind them that if you cannot say it to the person face-to-face, then do not post it. What you put out there today can be your downfall 10 years from now.
▪️The influencer question: Look out for real-life situations depicting that what we see online is in most cases very far from the truth. People edit their stories online to amass a following and likes. Do not always believe what you see. Ask them why they chose that influencer over another in a conversational way.
▪️Never to share personal data online, especially on promotions that seem "too good to be true". There are no free things in this world.
▪️Make use of tech software that helps you activate parental control.
▪️Get to know the parents of your children's friends, especially if your child is in a WhatsApp group. This way, if someone posts inappropriate content, you know who to call out.