From December 15 to 19, Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, is hosting the UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF 2024). A key topic of discussion is ensuring children's safety on the internet. On Tuesday, December 17, a high-level meeting titled Protecting Children's Rights in the Digital World was held, highlighting significant challenges in this area. Eugene Kaspersky, head of Kaspersky Lab, underscored the dangers of manipulating children. This manipulation can occur through direct online communication by offenders, misleading content, and even toys connected to the internet. Mr Kaspersky noted that while children acquire many valuable skills online, they should be shielded not from the internet itself but from the threat of manipulation within the network.
Sofiene Hemissi, Minister of Communication Technology of the Republic of Tunisia, concurred that the internet increasingly influences children's education and upbringing. He identified the constant and unauthorized collection of personal data by various online platforms as a primary threat to children's rights online. He emphasized that protecting children's rights in cyberspace can only be achieved through joint efforts of all stakeholders, including the state, family, private businesses, and educational institutions. Mr. Hemissi also pointed out that despite existing legislation aimed at protecting children online adopted by many countries, the legislative framework remains inadequate and struggles to keep pace with rapid technological advancements.
Andrei Zarenin, Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation, identified virtual masks as one of the most significant challenges. Offenders, hiding behind fictional personas, threaten children by manipulating their emotions and perceptions, which can lead to serious psychological issues and the development of false identities online. He also highlighted issues such as cyberbullying, recruitment into extremist communities, and sexual harassment.
According to data cited by Andrei Zarenin from the Digital Dictation, an event involving over 2 million participants in Russia this year, only one-third of 14 to 17-year-olds can recognize signs of fraud in online games. This underscores the importance of developing digital literacy among children. The complexity of this problem is compounded by the digital divide between generations, as parents often know even less about internet dangers than their children. To address this issue, Russia has established a section dedicated to children's internet safety on the Gosulslugi Public Services portal. This section informs parents about parental control tools and provides essential education for parents themselves. Overall, Andrei Zarenin advocated for creating a safe, supportive environment to help children adapt to the digital world.
Deepali Liberhan, Global Director of Safety Policy at Meta (recognized as an extremist organization in the Russian Federation), identified three main problems related to children's safety from the perspective of technology companies: unsuitable contacts, inappropriate content, and excessive screen time. She stated that Meta has been working for several years to develop policies and tools to identify and minimize these threats. Currently, she said, the company successfully removes most inappropriate content before any complaints are made. Special accounts for teenagers have also been introduced to minimize risks. Ms Liberhan emphasized the importance of ongoing feedback from technology companies to families and accounting for their concerns.
Muhammad Khurram Khan, a Professor of Cybersecurity at King Saud University, agreed with these points but noted that expecting a one-size-fits-all technological solution to keep children completely safe in cyberspace is naive. Achieving or approaching this goal requires a comprehensive approach and collaboration among regulators, educators, parents, and technology companies.
On the same day, the panel discussion Multistakeholder Cooperation for Online Child Protection, organized by the Alliance for the Protection of Children in the Digital Environment, took place with Elizaveta Belyakova, Chair of the Alliance, participating. She discussed the alliance's initiatives, including the creation of an information portal, Cifrateka, aimed at both children and parents and dedicated to digital threats and countermeasures, as well as the development of game-based methods for teaching children the fundamental principles of information security. Elizaveta Belyakova reiterated the sentiment articulated by participants of the high-level meeting, expressing confidence that protecting children in cyberspace is only possible through the collaborative efforts of families, businesses, the state, and international organizations.
