Quis autem velum iure reprehe nderit. Lorem ipsum dolor sit nulla or narjusto laoreet onse ctetur adipisci.
Quis autem velum iure reprehe nderit. Lorem ipsum dolor sit nulla or narjusto laoreet onse ctetur adipisci.
Kenya recognizes anyone under the age of 18 as a child. The country has a population of about 52 million. By the year 2000 there were only 200 000 internet users. The number rose to 46.87 million by June 2019. This implies 89.8% of Kenyans are internet users.
It was noted the workshop on the first day of the Child Online Protection (COP) that parents purchase ICT materials for their children. Not all children use these gadgets responsibly. Others use them in a way that exposes themselves to online abuse by people who sometimes they know or even those whom they do not know.
Irresponsible use of ICT gadgets by children exposes them to Online Child Sexual Exploitation (OCSE). Online Child Sexual Exploitation refers to all crimes committed by offenders who are using ICT and/or the Internet to facilitate sexual abuse on children.
Online Child Sexual Exploitation is manifested in the following forms;
When a child is reported to have been sexually abused online, it is advisable to report the case immediately. At Kenya Police Service there is the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit which collects, preserves and examines computer digital evidence to support investigation and prosecution of offenses against children online. The Directorate of Criminal Investigation is directly involved in investigating such cases.
Roles of Stake holders in the case of an online child abuse
Roles of the following stakeholders were discussed;
Guardian/parent
Regulatory authority (Communications Authority of Kenya, CA)
Victim
The International Community
Internet security –Facebook and Email Accounts
Participants were taken through sessions on internet security with emphasis on protection of email and Facebook accounts. The facilitator explained that it is crucial to protect Facebook accounts from hackers. It is important to protect personal information and data including Facebook profiles, and Page admins information, because they are often targeted by online abusers to gain access to contacts and sensitive information. Follow this link to learn more on how to protect your Facebook accounts. https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/blog/keep-your-facebook-information-secure
Here are 10 easy steps to protect yourself online. They can help protect your family and friends too and help to prevent your email from being hacked:
Why Internet security?
Internet security refers to ensuring safe use of computing devices both the software and the user. It is the state of wellbeing of information and infrastructure. Computer security aims at protecting computer systems and the information a user stores or processes. Users should focus on various security threats and countermeasures in order to protect their information assets. Unsafe use of computers may result into data loss and cyber-attacks among others.
National policies and laws that deal with online child protection in KENYA
Apart from International legal framework on online sexual harassment, Kenya has localised the legislation to suit the Kenyan context. These are just some of the instruments which regulate the use of ICT with an aim of protecting Kenyan citizens.
Constitution of Kenya article 53:1 gives every child the right to identity. At birth every child must be registered as a citizen of Kenya and be given a name. This means that if they use that name to register on any online platform and someone steals their identity, they have a right to sue them and get justice. Article 53:1D also protects children from all forms of abuses and harm, Online Child Sexual Harassment inclusive.
Other instruments which protect children and other internet users from online abuses include; The Children’s Act No8 of 2001, Kenya Information and Communications Act, Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act of 2008 and National Children’s Policy of 2010.
Negative impact of Information Communication Technology (ICT) and Media
Children are susceptible to harmful information through ICT and media. There is therefore need for the state, stakeholders and other key persons in a child’s life to ensure that the child is protected against possible harm. The specific measures of protection include among others:
The workshop ended on Friday 15 November, 2019 with all participants receiving certificates of completion for the course.