Commentary: Mum was right when she said 'don't talk to strangers'

SINGAPORE: We are taught as kids to never talk to strangers. Whether at the playground or walking home from school, the advice was drilled into us: If a stranger approached us offering a ride or treats like candy, we were to yell for attention and run away.

In the modern day of the internet and social media platforms, this wisdom doesn't seem to be translating to the online world. Behind screens and avatars, there are individuals with malicious intent preying on the vulnerable. Reports of children and teens being raped or killed after meeting up with people they met online are enough to make parents want to lock away all screens forever.

Worryingly, a recent survey by the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) of gamers aged between 10 and 18 indicates that not only are our children playing with strangers, 14 per cent are also chatting with them about non-gaming-related topics, sharing personal information and even meeting them in person.

How should parents process this information? What can they do to protect their children? What are tech companies doing to track online dangers? Who should bear the responsibility for any lapses in protecting children on the internet?

These questions have been raised in the discourse around the potential dangers children face online, amid a push for tech companies and governments to do more to keep them safe.

In a remarkable moment during a fiery US Senate hearing in January, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg was made to give a public apology to the families of victims.

“I’m sorry for everything you have all been through," he said. “No one should go through the things that your families have suffered."

HIGHLY IMPRESSIONABLE AND VULNERABLE

Given that the digital environment is an intrinsic part of children’s lives, raising the levels of internet safety requires a collaborative approach involving parents, educators and technology providers - supported by stringent regulations.

Young people, being highly impressionable, are especially susceptible to online threats. They’ve grown up in a world where data-sharing over the Internet is a norm: From instant messaging to gaming and social postings, they are not short of avenues for information exchange.

It’s also become exceedingly common for children to stumble across inappropriate sites and content. The constant exposure to these platforms and content creates a distorted sense of normalcy, leaving them vulnerable to various forms of abuse, such as cyberbullying, exposure to sexual predators, unrealistic beauty standards, self-harm and more.

The emergence of generative artificial intelligence and deepfakes expand the surface area for attacks.

FOSTERING A SECURE ECOSYSTEM IS A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

There is a need to focus on inclusive cybersecurity education that provides children with an awareness of identity protection, online privacy and overall good cyber hygiene measures. Promoting cybersecurity as a shared responsibility between families, educators, government, industry and the wider community is a must.

Because let’s face it, the complete elimination of digital devices is not feasible. Surveilling every single conversation children have online is also impractical.

Taking steps in the right direction, Singapore last year implemented measures to mitigate risks from harmful social media content, particularly for children.

The Code of Practice for Online Safety, which took effect on Jul 18 last year, requires designated social media services with significant reach or impact to put in place systems and processes to minimise exposure to harmful content for users in Singapore.

Communications and Information Minister Josephine Teo last month also announced that authorities will progressively release a series of guides to help parents manage their children’s screen use and foster healthy online habits.

Parents on their part can take a proactive approach to strengthen their children's online safety through measures such as implementing multi-factor authentication, creating complex passwords, and regularly updating login credentials and software updates.

Vigilance is key, and parents should monitor their children's activities for things such as increased device usage, behavioural changes, or a notable decrease in daily physical activity. Taking these preemptive measures is a crucial first step in prevention, mitigating potential online risks faced by children.

It is advisable too that parents and children make joint decisions regarding the use of applications and its content. Parents are further encouraged to stay informed of the latest trends in order to serve as digital role models, and regularly engage their children in discussions about cybersafety to build trust and openness in their relationship.

WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF CHILDREN'S SAFETY?

The emergence of AI holds promising prospects for enhancing children's internet safety. Tech companies can harness AI to develop innovative safety features, including robust age verification methods, content filters and threat detection algorithms, tailored to the unique needs of young users.

Further, there is a crucial need for parents to enhance their safety skills and digital literacy. To aid with this, AI-powered parental control tools can offer adaptive and personalised settings, providing parents with effective means to supervise their children's online activities.

Our stance is that prevention is better than recovery, which is why a multifaceted approach is essential to create a safe digital environment.

This reinforces the importance of regular data collection, monitoring, research and continuing to build the evidence base relating to effective cyber safety approaches.

Together, we can work towards establishing a secure digital environment that prioritises the well-being of users, particularly the younger generation.

Claribel Chai is Country Director, Singapore, Palo Alto Networks.