Doha: Qatar has taken several measures to protect internet users, especially children from the dangers of the internet. The measures include establishing a centre for combating cybercrime and launching the safe space website that aims to ensure that children and adolescents understand the basic rules for preserving their safety and privacy while using the internet.
Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) issued important tips to ensure online safety for children while using the internet.
In a post on its X platform recently, MCIT listed some pertinent points about cyber safety and how to make the child’s internet experience as safe as possible.
“You can set specific time limits for using any app or game using Screen Time on iPhone or Digital Wellbeing on Android as well,” the ministry mentioned in their post. These parental control apps easily set daily time limits for children to avoid excessive usage. It helps to build healthy and safe digital habits.
The post further stated that this will help in positive monitoring and track the online behaviour of children. “To protect children from risks always supervise and guide them on the proper use of technology,” the post added.
Qatar considers protecting children and guaranteeing their safety on the internet a collaborative responsibility in which individuals, society, and the state alike participate.
Despite the great benefits offered by the digital environment for children to develop their capabilities and skills, the unsafe use of the internet could result in a score of health, behavioural, and social risks, as well as immediate and future damages that threaten the welfare of children.
MCIT operates a programme called ‘Safe Space’ which emphasises cyber safety in Qatar. The programme uses an educational platform and regularly provides educational content to promote online safety.
The platform aims to highlight and affirm a culture of cyber safety and security, increasing awareness on issues related to Qatar and the Arab World.
Educators, students, parents, youth, children, and the general public have access to content. This serves to empower users to have safer cyberspace.
The platform is the online presence for initiatives that come under cyber safety programme within the Digital Society Department at MCIT. The programme encompasses cyber safety awareness campaigns in social media and public places, cyber safety ambassador programmes, cyber safety digital library, and cyber safety workshops which aim to increase ethical responsibility in the digital world.
Also, the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) works on implementing awareness programmes targeting parents, teachers, and school students to raise their awareness of digital safety and protection against internet dangers.
NCSA’s ‘Educational Cyber Security Curricula’ project comes within the Agency’s endeavour to build a digitally secure and technologically empowered community in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.
The curriculum which was launched last year, is the first project of its kind in the region with the aim of raising cyber safety awareness for students of all age groups and educational team members.
It aims to aid the national educational system with permanent visual cyber awareness content for students from the first grade till the twelfth to nurture a culture of cyber safety and security.
