Protecting children in the digital environment

Master of Psychology Vu Thu Ha, Vietnam Institute for Psychological Research, Training and Intervention, shared: “We often say that children are good at home. However, in the digital age, children at home are not necessarily safe, because there is a large space called social networks that parents may not have access to.”

A survey also shows that it is quite common for children to access social networks at a very young age in our country. Children as young as 5 to 8 years old already know how to access social networks, many of them have their own accounts. This further increases the risk of negative impacts when they are not fully equipped with the skills and knowledge to protect themselves.

In Vietnam, Decree No. 147/2024/ND-CP, effective from December 25, 2024, stipulates that people under the age of 16 will not be allowed to register for social media accounts. Parents and guardians are responsible for monitoring and managing the content that children access, post and share on social media.

In fact, the number of children breaking the law due to the influence of social networks is on the rise. Many teenagers imitate bad and toxic clips, leading to traffic violations, using weapons to resolve conflicts, and even being lured into illegal transportation and trading of banned substances by bad guys. This development poses an urgent need, requiring the authorities to take more drastic action.

For management policies to be truly effective, it is necessary to synchronously deploy solutions for policy development, communication, education, and technical support, especially when many parents do not have sufficient knowledge, skills, and are unfamiliar with tools to protect children in the digital environment.

Clearly, the role of the “companion quadrilateral” consisting of the State-technology enterprises-schools-parents is very important. The State establishes a clear legal framework in cyberspace, requiring cross-border platforms to comply with Vietnamese child protection regulations. Platforms need to be responsible for age control, content monitoring and data protection according to national standards.

Schools need to incorporate digital literacy into their curriculum. Parents need to be trained and supported to support their children in the digital environment. Tools to help parents control their children’s online content and time need to be more widely available and easier to use. Social media can be a useful tool, but only if it is used responsibly and safely.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/bao-ve-tre-em-trong-moi-truong-so-post871836.html