The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) released what it called ‘Vital Lessons for Online Safety, specifically designed for teaching children how to stay safe online in a cyber safe full of digital predators.
The guide, which the NCC released on its social media handle during the just-ended May 27 Children’s Day also captured what parents need to do to protect their kid’s safety.
According to the tips, kids need to be kind to everyone they meet online and always be Kind and be respectful when online, and never say or do anything would not do in person however urged them never to share Personally identifiable information such as Home Addresses, Pictures and School names.
The tips warned kids not to accept friend requests from people they don’t know or send messages to someone they do not know while also cautioning them of the need to tell “an adult you trust if anything happens online that you are uncomfortable with.”
While expressing worry about Cyber Security For Children using the hashtag #BeCyberSmart stating “Never MEET UP with anyone you meet online”, and that “Not all information online is RELIABLE always but they must “verify the information you find online before using or sharing it.”
The NCC noted that not all online content is for children saying that “there are a lot of contents such as videos, cartoons, games, and the likes on the Internet. Many may appear to be for minors, but they are not meant for children. Speak with a trusted adult for guidance when you come across such content.
The tips also cautioned against the time spent online, The Internet is very interesting, with different opportunities available for education, entertainment, communication, commerce and gaming saying the time spent online should be in moderation to ensure there is a balance.
