Title: Cyber Peace Initiative
Location:
Categories: Technology
Peace & Conflict
Status:
In Progress
Timeline:
September 7 07 to September 7 09
Description:
Internet Safety
Partners and collaborators: Childnet
Description:
The Middle East is becoming a dominant regional force in information technology6. In 2006, there were 13 different Internet access providers7 The expansion of the use of the Internet in Egypt, the proliferation of affordable computers and Internet connections, advanced access technology and unregulated cyber-cafes where young people meet, share network information and surf without any parental guidance or technical blocs, has been both a blessing and a curse.
Our youth are exposed to various online dangers often becoming the involuntary recipients of materials that are repulsive or damaging. For instance, over 60% of all Internet sites in 2006 were of a sexual subject matter, many involving abducted and exploited individuals, many of whom are children and youth. The proliferation of Internet sites depicting violence, brutality and crime desensitizes youth to their horrors. This necessitates immediate action to raise awareness among youth about the potential dangers associated with the use of the Internet. Hence our proposal to create a focus group to discuss these issues.
Dangers and risks involved in Internet use:
Objectives:
Among the dangers recognized as especially hazardous to undiscriminating youth are the following:
1. Social networking: Many people post personal information on the Internet in seemingly innocuous sites and chat rooms. Most of this information is not necessary to gain access to a service or a chat room. Youth post the information in an attempt to form friendships or romantic relationships. Abductions via the web are becoming increasingly common as pedophiles and others seek out victims directly on the web. The most vulnerable groups are women and children. These types, often referred to as Networkers or Swappers, communicate with other pedophiles on the Internet, trade information, pornography and even the children they have abducted. They have gained strength against weak victims as a result of the networking possibilities the Internet provides
2. Sexual material: Motivated by curiosity or the pursuit of sexual gratification, many view pornographic material on the Internet.Tracers find them and communication is established. The youth then become involuntary recipients of sexually enticing material in the form of advertisements or sites luring youth into a web of dangerous pursuits. Online harassment or unwanted sexual solicitation and involvement in various forms of pornography may be theresult. Child pornography is rampant on the Internet. Among the many problems associated with the exposure to pornographic material is the impact that viewing pornography has on the psychological and emotional health of our youth. The objectification of women, the inability of youth to establish intimate relationships, the breakdown of marriage, the perversions in sexual behavior, all are phenomenon that can be traced back to habitual viewing of pornography. Child molesters, rapists and other depraved characters are shaped and nurtured by such viewing. The belief that what they see on the Internet is normal damages relationships and hence the marital bond, and it costs money, damaging family financial interests as well.
3. Criminally inciting material: Such materials celebrate violence as a leisure activity, endorsing violence, crime, and resistance to authority. Such materials are widespread on the Internet, attracting social malcontents of all stripes. This material can further exacerbate sensitive or borderline youth, who may turn to criminal activity at the provocation of the material they view.
Significance of the Focus Group:
Since various forms of filtering, blocking and monitoring software are sometimes ineffective and as their development is outpaced by those who would post such material on the web, circumventing such security measures and reaching our children anyway, it is necessary to work with youth and parents and perhaps also public providers of Internet services whether at the network level or at the supplier end (i.e. Internet cafes, libraries, schools, universities,.. etc). There is an increasing interest in civil society to conduct formal, scientific investigations into the nature and size of the security threat to our youth.
This gap needs to be filled. As part of their interests in the affairs of women and children, relevant NGOs are important not only as a source of funding but also as a source of information sharing as well as a source of expertise in conducting survey research and analyzing results.
The Suzanne Mubarak Women’s International Peace Movement, given its mandate and interest in the welfare of youth, can be considered an appropriate venue for the founding of such a focus group. This focus group would operate under the direct supervision of the Youth Unit of the Movement.
Suggested Mission:
The youth focus group aims at increasing awareness about Internet safety and the huge potential of ICT. The group aims at offering kids and youth the chance to identify by themselves harmful content and decide on the best way to deal with that through a participatory approach. The focus group would serve the community and would have to rely on strong relations with the community; therefore, networking and survey research would have to be initial objectives of the focus group.
The focus group would have to consider the paucity of Internet awareness among the majority of the parent population and that youth are the masters of the Internet, with their parents lagging behind in both expertise and exposure.
We recommend that the focus group be composed of socially aware and technologically savy youth who would be better qualified to speak with their peers.
Key tasks for the Internet Safety Youth Focus Group may include the following:
• Hold monthly awareness meetings with youth
• Identify and promote Internet safety tips to parents, youth and children, as well as explaining the pros and cons of different Internet based IT tools
• Identify and ally with key international organizations and NGOs active in the field, e.g. The International Center for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) and Child Exploitation and Online Protection Center, to tailor solutions for different societies, attending and hosting forums as appropriate
• Meet periodically with heads of NGOs for raising awareness and discussion of issues to create a trickle down effect
• Produce a code of ethics for young users
• Promote a system of classification, tools, and filters.
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