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www.e-society.org.mk

Children’s Rights on the Internet – Safe and

Protected

Ana TrpovskaAna Trpovska

Metamorphosis FoundationMetamorphosis Foundation

29.11.200729.11.2007


From the last research of USAID in the Republic of Macedonia (April 2007:

• 47% are using a computer; 32% are internet users (in 2006: 43% contrasted with 27%).

• PCs in 40% of the households; 17% of the households are connected to the internet (in 2006: 37% contrasted with 13%).

• 52% of the existing internet users have started to use the internet in the past two years, and most of them are young people.


Data from USAID’s research conducted in April 2007:

• Internet users’ profileInternet users’ profile


Internet – source of useful information, and a source of dangers as well!


Advantages:

• Unlimited source of informationUnlimited source of information• Unlimited source of entertaining Unlimited source of entertaining

contentscontents• Големи можности за Големи можности за

комуникацијакомуникација


Disadvantages:

• Provides anonymityProvides anonymity / / identity identity concealment (concealment (PredatorsPredators – physical – physical and psychic maltreatment and and psychic maltreatment and intimidation/pedophiliaintimidation/pedophilia

• No censorshipNo censorship/ / presence of all kinds presence of all kinds of contents inadequate for childrenof contents inadequate for children

• Existence of Existence of viruses and hackersviruses and hackers• Legal and financial hazards Legal and financial hazards

((problemsproblems))


Facts:

• Today, about 15% of the world’s population are Today, about 15% of the world’s population are knowingly using the internetknowingly using the internet, , and about 25and about 25%% are unaware are unaware ((through various devicesthrough various devices, , telephonestelephones, , televisiontelevision). ). Half of Half of them are at the age of 5 to 19 yearsthem are at the age of 5 to 19 years..

• Every third child has its own website or blog in today’s Every third child has its own website or blog in today’s information societyinformation society..

• The outcome of a simple search on Google is 1.700.000 The outcome of a simple search on Google is 1.700.000 results for the search word “encyclopedia”, and results for the search word “encyclopedia”, and 26.500.000 results for the word “sex” 26.500.000 results for the word “sex”

• One of seven children older than 10 years gets sexual One of seven children older than 10 years gets sexual offers over the internetoffers over the internet..

• According to the fairly accurate analysesAccording to the fairly accurate analyses, , and having in and having in mind that a large number of websites are not knownmind that a large number of websites are not known, , around 20.000 new pedophilic sites appear throughout around 20.000 new pedophilic sites appear throughout the world every yearthe world every year..


Parents and guardians – key role in children’s protection on the internet!


How can the parents help:

• Be informed about the services that their children are Be informed about the services that their children are using on the internetusing on the internet

• Openly communicate with their childrenOpenly communicate with their children• The home computer should be placed in a “public” roomThe home computer should be placed in a “public” room, ,

instead in the child’s bedroominstead in the child’s bedroom• Prepare a family agreement and book of rules on using the Prepare a family agreement and book of rules on using the

internetinternet• Rules for using the social networking websitesRules for using the social networking websites• Personal data should be kept private, i.e. they should not Personal data should be kept private, i.e. they should not

be revealed in public placesbe revealed in public places. . This is very much the same This is very much the same as giving away the key to your apartmentas giving away the key to your apartment..

• It is alright to meet new online-friends, but the children It is alright to meet new online-friends, but the children should acquaint their parents with their online-friendsshould acquaint their parents with their online-friends, , as as they are doing in real lifethey are doing in real life..

• If the children are planning to meet some of their If the children are planning to meet some of their electronic friends in person– they should inform their electronic friends in person– they should inform their parents about itparents about it


Problems in Macedonia:

• Parents and teachers are uneducated Parents and teachers are uneducated in using the internet and unaware of in using the internet and unaware of its advantages and disadvantagesits advantages and disadvantages

• So far nothing has been done in this So far nothing has been done in this directiondirection / / there were no there were no organizations or institutions dealing organizations or institutions dealing with this problemwith this problem

• Inexistence of information resources Inexistence of information resources and advice on this topic in the local and advice on this topic in the local languageslanguages


CRISP – Children’s rights on the internet – safe and protectedMetamorphosis Foundation, in Metamorphosis Foundation, in

partnership with Megjashipartnership with Megjashi

• Project goalsProject goals:: - - Raising the public awareness for this Raising the public awareness for this

problem among the children above all, problem among the children above all, parents, teachers, media and the NGO parents, teachers, media and the NGO sectorsector

- - Creating resources with useful Creating resources with useful information and advice for getting information and advice for getting familiar and dealing with this problemfamiliar and dealing with this problem


CRISP – Children’s rights on the internet – safe and protected• ActivitiesActivities:: - - Forming an NGO network of ten Forming an NGO network of ten

organizationsorganizations - - Training/education of the NGO network Training/education of the NGO network

membersmembers - - Presentations intended for the Presentations intended for the

students, their parents and teachers in students, their parents and teachers in the elementary and secondary schools the elementary and secondary schools throughout the Republic of Macedoniathroughout the Republic of Macedonia

- - Creating useful information resources Creating useful information resources in local languagesin local languages


Resources in Albanian and Macedonian:

• FlyersFlyers / / brochuresbrochures• ICT Guide for Children’s safety on ICT Guide for Children’s safety on

the internetthe internet• Website Website

(www.bezbednonainternet.org.mk (www.bezbednonainternet.org.mk и и www.crisp.org.mk)www.crisp.org.mk)

• Children’s Bill of Rights for the Children’s Bill of Rights for the InternetInternet


Interesting and useful links:

• Childnet's Kidsmart: Childnet's Kidsmart: http://www.kidsmart.org.ukhttp://www.kidsmart.org.uk• ThinkYouKnow:ThinkYouKnow: http://www.thinkyouknow.co.uk http://www.thinkyouknow.co.uk• Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre: Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre:

http://www.ceop.gov.ukhttp://www.ceop.gov.uk• Cyberbullying:Cyberbullying: http://www.cyberbullying.org http://www.cyberbullying.org• Ins@fe:Ins@fe: http://www.saferinternet.org http://www.saferinternet.org• IKeepSafe:IKeepSafe: http://www.ikeepsafe.org http://www.ikeepsafe.org• Cyber Angels:Cyber Angels: http://www.cyberangels.org http://www.cyberangels.org• NetSmartzKids:NetSmartzKids: http://www.netsmartzkids.org http://www.netsmartzkids.org• GetNetWise:GetNetWise: http://kids.getnetwise.org http://kids.getnetwise.org• Family Online Safety Institute: Family Online Safety Institute: http://www.fosi.orghttp://www.fosi.org• http://digizen.orghttp://digizen.org


Thank you for your attention!

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