Risk of cyber bullying of children is increasing during the corona epidemic

The risk of cyber bullying of children is increasing during the coronation period

Almost all educational institutions in the world are closed due to the coronavirus epidemic. As a result, the children are scoped in home. In this situation, they are leaning towards the internet. Spending more time there. Parents are not preventing their children from accessing the internet as they used to spend their lazy time. As a result, the risk of cyber bullying or harassment of children has increased many times, the United Nations has warned.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Geneva-based UN body in Switzerland, issued the warning on Wednesday. The agency said that in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus, various countries have taken drastic measures such as lockdown. As a result, 1.5 billion children's schools were closed. Due to the closure of schools for a long time, not only to study online, but also to spend time, children are forced to access the Internet.

ITU Director Doreen Bogdan-Martin said in an online briefing yesterday that children who are not willing to let their parents use the Internet now are coming online before a certain age. Very young children are coming here. They do not have the necessary knowledge or skills to protect themselves from online harassment or cyber bullying. Another issue, he added, is that children spend a lot of time online to have fun, play games and chat with others after finishing school.

The ITU develops policies and guidelines for the protection of children online. Bogdan-Martin, director of the company, said the ITU was working hard to formulate recommendations on child protection online. Those recommendations will be published in two weeks.

Doctors and psychologists have previously warned that the effects of the Corona epidemic will be felt negatively in children. As the virus spreads to alarming levels, they could cause psychological distress in children, they said. The ITU also acknowledges that the Internet has become a major part of everyday social life. If the internet is used only for education, it will be good for teaching children.

Due to the closure of schools and colleges, classes are being conducted online or using digital media in many countries. However, many people are deprived of internet facilities due to digital divide. As a result, these students are being deprived of online education. In this regard, Bogdan-Martin said that the lack of internet facilities can seriously harm the education of children.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and its affiliates drafted a policy last month to address the potential risks of online child abuse. During the Corona epidemic, governments were asked to keep child protection services open and operational.

According to the ITU, a total of 3.6 billion people in the world do not have access to the Internet. And those who do, either have to spend a lot of money, or the quality of the connection is very poor. The director of the company said that the Internet is a very important and effective means of communication for the current situation created due to coronavirus.