Is it true that human traffickers are tech-savvies, intelligent, quite ahead and sophisticated in ways anti-traffickers cannot comprehend let alone match up or outwit them? Well, this is debatable but one thing is for sure, even though it is not easy to quantify the magnitude of online human trafficking, it is undeniable that online exploitation of victims of trafficking is prevalent and is a brutal reality. Technology has been abused by traffickers and those working against human trafficking have not embraced technology as much to counter the vice.

Technological advancement is one of the most progressive innovations in the human history that has remarkably transformed how the world operates. Changes at the apex of this advancement include; value systems, cultural setups, means of communication, the travel industry, the healthcare sector, the corporate world  and the education system.

Even though the intention behind technological advancement was to make life convenient for the ordinary human being, it has come along with unprecedented negative consequences over time. Cyber crimes including child pornography, cyber bullying, cyber stalking, cyber grooming, online job fraud, online sextortion, phishing and vishing are currently on the rise exacerbated further by massive use of the internet during the COVID-19. This said, technological advancement is a double edged sword; presenting both challenges and opportunities in the whole phenomenon of human trafficking..

Traffickers harness technology through out the human trafficking stages; from recruitment, grooming, movement, control advertising and exploitation for a couple of reasons. They use technology to hide their identities and increase anonymity online; the perpetrator communicate through encrypted app/dark web to coordinate their activities. Traffickers use cryptocurrency to engage in money laundry, conduct financial transactions and move criminal proceeds anonymously.

Technology is used by traffickers to facilitate recruitment and exploitation of victims; through the internet traffickers are able to target potential victims, access personal data, recruit through social media and arrange travel logistics. According to a 2018 UNODC global report on trafficking in persons, perpetrators sequence their actions by identifying potential victims on social media establishing a relationship of trust and subsequently entrapping them in exploitative situations.

Traffickers use technology to access new venues and expanding the market. The internet helps traffickers to advertise fraudulent opportunities to potential victims and access a large market. Traffickers use the internet to advertise the services offered by their victims to potential customers/end users. Europol notes that the online advertisement of sexual services is an increasing phenomenon relating to human trafficking for sexual exploitation with children being advertised as adults.

The internet has made it possible for traffickers to expand the means victims by which they control and exploit their victims. Certain technologies help traffickers to control and coerce their victims. The technology includes using GPS software in phones to track the movements of victims or in domestic servitude and other forms of labour exploitation monitor and control victims through video surveillance. In sexual exploitation threats to share nude images are used to control victims.

Certain factors enable the misuse of technology by traffickers. First is insufficient legal frameworks which do not avail the necessary tools to aid successful  investigations and prosecution to online crimes and human trafficking. Second is the transnational nature of the internet facilitated human trafficking has introduced new challenges with respect to jurisdiction. Third is weak cooperation among national and international institutions and the private sector which impedes opportunities to promptly utilize innovative approaches embraced by traffickers and hampers full utilization of resources and expertise available in different sectors. Fourth is lack of capacity, awareness and expertise of law enforcement, prosecutors and the judiciary due to among other factors; the complex and dynamic nature of ICT facilitated trafficking. And lastly, limited technological tools as well as capacity to anti-trafficking practitioners.

Positive Use of Technology to Counter Human Trafficking  

Governments, NGOs, international organizations, the private sector and the corporate world have a wide range of technological tools within their reach to buffer their anti-trafficking endeavor. A number of interventions have already been launched and are in use to counter human trafficking. For example Tech Against Trafficking a coalition of technology companies working to combat human trafficking has survey more than 260 technology tools to aid anti trafficking work. More than half of this tools focus on labour exploitation while 18% focus on sexual exploitation. This tools consist mainly of mobile apps, social media handles and databases.

In a recent issue by freedom collaborative a digital game-May and Bay- has been innovated by the University of Kent’s Centre for Child Protection (CCP) with A21, ECPAT International and Playerthree. The game is set to help children and young people across Thailand and Cambodia learn to spot signs of online grooming and recognize the tactics that abusers and traffickers employ. The game is intended to alert children to the dangers of online interactions in Thailand and Cambodia. The game aims to empower young people and provide training for child protection practitioners.

The internet can be a vital tool for detecting, locating and addressing human trafficking. For instance, activities like data mining, mapping and advanced analytics can be valuable weapons against human trafficking. Research shows that online traffickers leave a trail that if followed up by those working against trafficking could avail vital information to build up their cases against the traffickers. 

Since it has a wider audience, avenues for instance, social media could be leveraged to create awareness on the horrifying crime of human trafficking. Highlighting the redflags to look out for, the modus operandi i.e what is done, how it is done and why it is done. Through information, traffickers activities will be crippled. The internet could also be used to generate and offer services for he victims of human trafficking.

Conclusion

As the world commemorates the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, it is incumbent upon governments, civil societies, businesses, academia and the international community to adapt to the rapid dynamic realm of technological advancement by leveraging it in order to outwit human traffickers. Technology will assist the law enforcement to provide substantial evidence to aid in the prosecution of victims. Collaboration and concerted effort are crucial now more that ever before to counter human trafficking.

After years of effort, the Kenya government finally emerged a step closure to realizing a major achievement in the rescue and repatriation of trafficked Kenyans in the diaspora. This was made possible through the National Employment Authority (NEA) with support from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) who jointly implemented the “Fostering Recruitment Agencies’ Ethical Practices and Accountability” project as well as supporting the government of Kenya to pilot a recruitment oversight and community feedback mechanism to prevent trafficking in persons. Funded by the US Department of State Office to monitor and combat trafficking in persons, through the Global Fund to End Modern Slavery (GFEMS), the project was implemented from November 2020 to October 2022.

The project which as steered by a technical committee set up by the Minister for Labour and Social Protection in 2020 was officially inaugurated in July 2021. The committee drew membership from a multi-agency government team who incorporated non-state actors. CHTEA was one among three Civil Society Organisations nominated to sit at the technical committee.

The oversight mechanism was however established in June 2021, through a collaborative process involving key labour migration stakeholders from Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), non-state actors at National and County levels as well as communities at the grass root level. The Oversight Mechanism and Community Feedback Mechanism will serve to monitor the Kenya Labour Recruitment industry and identify Private Recruitment Agencies operating unethically.  

Some of the key achievements accomplished under this project include;

• The establishment of a 9-member Advisory Committee and the Multi-Stakeholder Technical Committee to provide technical guidance to the National Employment Authority (NEA) on the operations of the Oversight Mechanism.

• The establishment of the Toll-Free Hotline 0800222223

• The development of the distress reporting tool which is accessible through the NEA Information and Management System ( neaims.go.ke.). Through the system, Kenyan migrants in distress can report their cases and those seeking to get a job abroad can get a list of private recruitment agencies registered by the National Employment Authority (NEA).

• Over 100 Private Recruitment Agencies (PRAs) were trained using the IOMs International Recruitment Integrity System (IRIS). Out of the 100 trained PRAs, 46 expressed interest to proceed and enroll in the IRIS capacity building program. 17 PRAs are currently enrolled in the IRIS capacity building training, with 2 agencies already undergoing a maturity assessment.

To ensure sustainability and continuous awareness creation at the community level, the project has trained over 250 resource persons on the Oversight and Community Feedback Mechanism in the five pilot counties of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kilifi, Nandi and Busia. This led to the development and dissemination of the key labour migration guidelines and procedures which were translated to Kiswahili language for ease of understanding by the public. These include;

1. A guide to safe labour migration.
2. Information guide on the National Employment Authority Information Management System (NEAIMS).
3. Regulations on the Private Recruitment Agencies and key sections of the labour institutions Act, 2007.

Additionally, as an exit strategy, the 22-member multi-Stakeholder committee on the oversight and community feedback mechanism held a technical committee meeting on the 23^rd of September 2022 to review their terms of Reference (TORs) towards the establishment of sub-committees as per the agreed thematic areas which include;

1. Migration Governance and Compliance.
2. Capacity Building and Outreach.
3. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning.
4. Media publicity and Advocacy.

The sub-committees will be composed of at least 5 members and shall report to the larger committee. The Ministry of Labour, NEA and IOM will act as secretariat to the sub-committees and the meetings will be held once per month before the technical advisory committee meetings or as per need basis.

To mark the closure of this project, IOM in collaboration with NEA, organized a one-day closing workshop on Tuesday 11^th October 2022 at the Crown Plaza Hotel.  In attendance were key labour migration stakeholders from Government, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), members of the Multi-Stakeholder Technical Committee and representatives from the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and the Private Recruitment Agencies (PRAs).

The recent Kenyan Anti-Trafficking CSO-CTIP Coordination Workshop held from January 31 to February 1, 2024, at the ParkInn Hotel in Nairobi, showcased a significant step forward in the fight against human trafficking in Kenya. Organized by the Better Migration Management III Programme (BMM III), the workshop brought together over 30 participants, including key government partners, civil society organizations (CSOs), and BMM implementing partners.

The two-day workshop was designed to foster collaboration and coordination among stakeholders to counter trafficking of human beings effectively. With a focus on building partnerships for 2024 and sharing updates from the Counter-Trafficking in Persons Secretariat (CTIP). The event provided a platform for meaningful dialogue and action.

Above: CSO-CTIP Coordination Workshop: Learning topics as mapped out.

Participants engaged in discussions ranging from joint activity planning to coordination on service provision and partnerships. Through working groups and presentations, attendees identified areas for joint learning, developed activity planning tools, and gained a deeper understanding of CTIP-CSO activities for the year ahead.

The workshop's hybrid format allowed for both in-person and online participation, ensuring active engagement of stakeholders across Kenya. Overall, the outcomes of the workshop are expected to guide CSO activities throughout the year, strengthening the collective effort to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable populations in Kenya.

The success of the workshop underscores the importance of collaboration and coordination in addressing complex issues like human trafficking and highlights the power of collective action in driving positive change.

It is 8.00am in the morning, Elima greets her friend as she hurries to open her small cereal/Mpesa and Equity Bank Agent shop. She is excited about today and hopeful that it will be a successful day. On a day like this, Elima remembers vividly after completing her secondary school exams, she received a sponsorship to a university in Uganda, it went well and she graduated with a degree in Bachelor of Commerce. She was joyous about her graduation, being the first girl in a village to go to university and successfully complete a degree course. She saw herself working as an accountant in a reputable organization in the future.

Life with its endless ups and downs did not go as she expected. She landed her first job as an Mpesa agent (where one can deposit and withdraw cash). Sadly, every day the owner would come at lunchtime, close the shop and lock her inside where he would sexually and physically assault her. She put up a lot of resistance and was very scared and hated him for the actions. She left after five months of absolute hell and she returned home. She found her mother supportive but she had no job after such a long struggle to gain her degree in a foreign country.

One day, a lady who was known by the family to trade between Kenya and Uganda told her of  wonderful job opportunities in Uganda. She claimed that she knew a certain hotel owner in Kampala who needed an accounts clerk. Elima fell for such a ‘golden chance’ and had no problem in agreeing to travel to Uganda. But she found herself as one of the ten girls who covered in a bar-restaurant 24/7. The hotel was also a major attraction for men who wanted ladies for sex services at any hour of the day or night. Elima and the other girls, were issued with contraceptives every morning. Elima says, “I was in this horrible, horrible place for 6 months, the only food they gave us was one meal daily.” At this stage she was in tears and her eyes were red.

One Morning, just days before Christmas in 2022, a man from her home area visited the eatery and on seeing her, he exclaimed, “My God, Elima, what are you doing here?” It was easily assumed that he was her client. But he had come in to have breakfast. After a brief conversation, he gave her his car keys and told her the registration of his vehicle and where to find it in the parking lot. In a matter of hours, they were crossing the international border into Kenya. He never harmed her in any way and he dropped her at her parents’ home. Since she had returned without any money, she coined a story that she had been robbed on the way back home. The parents accepted her story.

In early January, 2023, she travelled to Mukuru Kwa Njenga, Nairobi (where her aunt works with the MMM’s). while there, she met one of the CHTEA Trainer of Trainers (ToTs) doing an Awareness workshop and he referred her to CHTEA.

Elima had good ideas about starting a small business but she lacked capital. While at CHTEA, Sr.Mary recalls that, “I felt she was genuine and took a chance to offer her with a budgetary amount of Ksh.15000/-. Ordinarily, some of the victims of trafficking come with various needs such as medical and counselling which require much more money.” From the small capital offered, Elima has now a thriving business of retailing eggs from her home location and she also sells a variety of dried beans as well as an Mpesa and Equity Bank agent business.

*Elima is not her name

Introduction

The high cost of living coupled with high inflation and together with the high rate of unemployment, has pushed many young people to leave the country seeking ‘greener pastures’ as a way to financially support their family members.  Most times ‘green pastures’ are not so green as they are assumed to be. Many young Kenyan men and women find themselves caught between a rock and a hard place.  Sadly, when they go abroad through agents, they are most often rogues/criminal syndicates who promise them endless perks and opportunities once they arrive at the destination countries.

Tragedy in a foreign land

Sadly, this was the case for five Kenyans- Four gentlemen and one lady-  who travelled to Malaysia to work as office assistants/receptionists in early January, 2023 through the Bemoliz and Talent Quest Africa agencies. They were promised good paying jobs with a salary Ksh. 60,000/- (equivalent to USD 460) per month, working for eight hours daily. Upon arrival in Malaysia, things were not as they expected. Instead they worked for twelve hours a day at J&T cargo, with no food and no payment for four months. Their living conditions were unbearable, they used to sleep on waste cartons on a cold floor and they begged for food from well-wishers.

Upon asking for their salary, they were met with a rude shock and dumbfounded when their boss told them that he had bought them at Ksh. 160,000/ equivalent to USD 1.230 per person to get them to Malaysia. They were promised to get work permits in Malaysia on arrival, since they used travel visas to get to Malaysia.  However, it proved impossible for them to get any help from the authorities.

After endless hassle with the J & T cargo management concerning their salaries, they were chased away from the company with no pay. They ended up seeking for shelter in unfinished construction sites and begging for food to survive. They reached out to the Kenyan embassy in Malaysia for help who advised them to raise money for their air tickets back to Kenya. CHTEA in collaboration with other partners are working around the clock to get sponsors for their tickets. CHTEA is currently offering online counselling services to the victims.

Above: inhuman living conditions, cartons on cold floors serving as beddings (shared by victims)

Appeal for tickets

They shared their story with CHTEA during an exclusive interview. The news reached the Kenyan government who directed the embassy to take them to Kuala Lumpur where they have been staying for about two months as they continue to wait for tickets. Their families have not been able to raise the fees. They are humbly seeking for well-wishers for help them raise the overstay fees and air tickets to get back home.

Anyone willing to support with tickets, kindly get in touch with CHTEA through telephone number +254 701 339 204 or email info@chttrust-eastafrica.org

On 4^th October, Counter Human Trafficking Trust-East Africa (CHTEA) (represented by Ms Precious Musyoki) joined other civil society organisations Religious Against Human Trafficking [RAHT], Free the Slaves, the Salvation Army, Footprint of hope and Jafari Jata Solution in a meeting convened by Free The Slaves to review the Alliance 8.7 commitments.

The discussion on Alliance 8.7 revolved around evaluating the progress made in the past year towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 – eradicating forced labor, modern slavery, human trafficking, and child labor. Partners shared their respective initiatives and programs, emphasizing the need for increased coordination and innovative strategies.

Some of the key points discussed included:

1. Sharing best practices in survivor rehabilitation and reintegration.
2. Advantages of joining the alliance as a country or as an organization.
3. Enhancing awareness campaigns to prevent trafficking and exploitation.

The 2nd agenda for the day was Survivor engagement, it took center stage, highlighting the importance of survivor voices in shaping effective anti-trafficking interventions. Partners shared their success stories and challenges faced in empowering survivors. The key highlights included:

1. Providing comprehensive support services, including counseling, education, and skills’ development.
2. Ensuring survivor data confidentiality and security.

   

Later on, partners presented their annual reports, detailing their achievements, challenges, and future plans. The reports highlighted:

1. An increase in number of rescued victims and successful prosecutions.
2. Challenges faced, such as limited financial and human resources and the evolving nature of human trafficking methods.
3. The need for collaborative efforts with local authorities, NGOs, and international organizations.

The meeting was then concluded with a brainstorming session to outline actionable steps based on the discussions. The following were agreed upon:

1. Forming of task forces to focus on specific aspects of Alliance 8.7 goals to ensure targeted efforts.
2. Establishing a survivor-led advisory programs and policies.
3. Organizing joint training sessions for law enforcement officers, social workers, and legal professionals to enhance their skills and knowledge on Trafficking In Persons and Smuggling of Migrants.
4. Expressed the need for framework to avoid double-recording of the survivors in different organizations to achieve optimal use of the limited resources.

The meeting concluded on a positive note, with partners expressing their commitment to intensify efforts in the following year. The exchange of ideas and experiences during the meeting reinforced the importance of collaboration in addressing the multifaceted issue of trafficking and exploitation. The next meeting was scheduled for November where the dates will be communicated on a later date.

Junaid Ansari, is a 50-year-old father from Uttar Pradesh, India. Like many, he was a carpet weaver in his village, trying to provide for his family. But the meager income was not enough for. Junaid, like millions of others, he was forced to look abroad for work.

In December 2021, a local agent promised him a job as a house helper in Dubai. He was promised a monthly wage of 1400 Dirhams ($380.00 USD), food, accommodations, and kind employers. But the reality was a far cry from this. Instead of a comfortable home, Junaid was sent to a perfume factory where he was forced to work for 12 hours each day under abusive conditions.

Sadly, Junaid’s story is far too common. West India is one of the largest migration corridors globally, with an estimated 9 million Indian migrants working in the Persian Gulf region. While some find fair employment, countless others fall victim to hazardous labor conditions, exploitation, and labor trafficking, with no safety net, social security, or labor rights.

Junaid bravely shared, "The only reason why I was able to pressure the agent to arrange my journey back to India was the knowledge I gained from the Free the Slaves events..." 

Since December of 2020, Free the Slaves and MSEMVS have been at the forefront of protecting migrant workers in India through our “Safe Migration to the Gulf Countries” initiative. We’ve created a safe migration handbook, conducted trainings, and built an awareness network to ensure people migrating to Gulf countries stay safe and remain free. 

Through our initiative, we have reached over 7,000 individuals. To ensure our work is sustainable we have trained village heads to take on the responsibility of spreading awareness, while the volunteer community groups maintain migration registration systems, track cases, and keep their communities informed.

The second phase of this project is active now, focusing on eliminating unlawful and excessive recruitment fees levied by recruiting brokers. We aim to educate migrant workers and recruiters alike about these abuses and how they can prevent them.

Source: Free The Slaves

Above: Counter Human Trafficking-East Africa represented by Mr Mutuku Nguli, (seated second right at front row during a group photo) on 22nd September 2023 while attending a reflection workshop on Climate Change and Peacebuilding. It was held at a Nairobi hotel

Above: Ms. Mary Mugo (a member of the Religious Against Human Trafficking), in a hearty laugh after meeting Pope Francis mid-September while attending a Talitha Kum meeting in Rome

Above: A team from Tanzania posing for a group photo after finalizing a 2 days’ training which was held at the Medical Missionaries of Mary, Faraja Centre, Tanzania. The training was conducted by Mr Ahmed Mwidad from the Government Secretariat of Anti Human Trafficking under the ministry of Home Affairs. The Faraja Center-human trafficking programme was initiated by CHTEA in 2018 and has been used as a model in Tanzania.

Annette is a mother of 3, separated with her two previous husbands. She is an Information Technology graduate and was working in clearing and forwarding sector at the Mombasa port. She met a recruitment agent while in Mombasa in the course of her work, after separating with her second husband in 2010. Before relocating to Mombasa, Annette had been living with her mother in Nyeri where life had become quite challenging since she had no job and yet she had a family to feed.

She recalls that the recruitment agent had promised her a lucrative opportunity in Qatar. In December 2010, Annette she was asked to go for a medical examination (chest and pregnancy). On arrival at the designated medical facility, she only did the pregnancy test and was asked not to worry about the chest X-ray. The agent told her that the results had already been sent to her would-be employer and that in any case, she looked healthy, according to him. The following day, her travel documents were sent to her on email and she was asked to meet the agent at the KENCOM bus stage ready to proceed to the airport. To her shock, when she arrived at KENCOM stage, she met other six women yet she had all along believed that she was the only one. On arrival at JKIA, the seven they were all given brown envelopes and off they disappeared to the back end of the waiting lounge.

It was only when Annette opened her envelope (inside the waiting lounge) that she got to know that she wasn’t going to Qatar anymore but to Lebanon with one other from the group while the rest were destined for Saudi Arabia.

The group had a stop-over at Dubai where they connected their flight to Beirut. While at the waiting area in Dubai, Annette says, “I met other Kenyan women at the Dubai international airport who were enroute back to Nairobi from Lebanon. They looked worn out and emaciated. Seeing them like that, it gave me jitters, it made her scared.”  Later on, they flew to Beirut where they would meet their sponsors and would-be employers. They picked her up even as she kept asking where she was being taken to without a response. The sponsor eventually got annoyed and beat and locked her up in a room. She was later picked up and taken to the agent’s office in Lebanon. While at the office, her employer explained to her that he had paid a 2000USD to bring her to Lebanon to work as a house help at her sister’s house. Annette had no option but to agree to work for a salary of 200USD per month.

At her first house, the family couldn’t understand her due to language barrier which resulted to Annette getting physically assaulted by the lady of the house. Annette later learnt Arabic but things didn’t change hence, she asked to be taken back to the agent. The employer obliged and took her back at the agent’s office where she demanded to be taken back to Kenya but was told to pay the 2000USD for buying price. She stayed at the office for 3 months before getting her second employer. Her stint at the first house was rewarding since she got paid for all months worked. She was able to send some money back home to her mother.

While at the office Janet was denied food, locked up in the office alongside another Kenyan lady. She was eventually taken to a 2^nd house. The house had an old couple who suffered from chronic illnesses. The boss at the second house was very arrogant towards her. He didn’t even tell her what her salary was to be. He told her that she didn’t have the mandate to ask how much she would be paid. Annette was badly mistreated (physically assaulted, denied food and worked for long hours). She worked here for 6 months, and tried to escape but was arrested and taken back. She reluctantly continued working as she plotted another escape. Through the help of an Egyptian mechanic, she was able to escape. The Egyptian man helped her get a temporary place to stay where she also got an opportunity to start working at a hotel as an illegal migrant, since she did not have her travel documents. She worked at the hotel for few a months before she was stopped on the claim an impending crackdown on illegal migrant workers. The job loss forced Annette to rely on part time jobs. She volunteered to work for the Kenyan consulate at Beirut at no pay hoping to meet the consular and plead for her freedom back home.

While volunteering at the Kenyan consulate, Annette was able to resolve cases and helped fellow Kenyan migrants and the Consulate as well. She was able to hold forums for the migrant workers to air out their challenges and help each other know how to navigate them. One of the many cases Janet was able to support was concerning the death of one Kenyan migrant worker who lost her life under unclear circumstances. She was able to investigate and found out that she had lost her life due to loss of blood following a procured abortion. It is through this case that Annette got an opportunity to meet the consulate who helped her get back to Kenya through deportation.

On arrival back in Kenya, Annette met her family members but she was heart-broken when she saw the condition of her son who looked unkempt and under fed. She even realized that the son was no longer going to school due to lack of school fees.

Annette got depressed and got into drugs and alcohol. She cut all contact with her mother and family. She recently reunited with her family but still struggles with where to start from. She now has two young kids. Her mother still resents her and she feels she like she is the cause of all her troubles. Annette has never received psychosocial support, yet she is in dire need of an IGA to support her family and her kids in high school.

Annette* - not her real name

Schools are under-way through third term in most East African countries, and soon, students will begin their end term/year national examinations.  In between the opening and closing, students will be accessing the internet for educational content and revision purposes. It is therefore important to understand how schools can ensure the students online safety while online.

Access to the internet opens doors to information that our children could not otherwise access in the analogue world. The internet provides access to educational content, including study notes and curriculum content. Further, a child has access to information such as the environment, wildlife, society and more. There are also a lot of entertainment videos for the children, including cartoons. All these contents will help a child grow being aware of his or her environment and the society. However, the internet is also home to other types of content including movies and TV shows, betting and casino, music, games, adult content, and more.

In other words, whereas the internet can open a world of possibilities for our children, without proper supervision and control, it can expose the young ones to dangers. In addition to websites, social media has fast gained traction among teenagers and young adults. The social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok provides an environment where children interact with other people, not only those known to them, but also strangers.

Dangers of the internet for Children

There are a wide of range of dangers that children are likely to face online, according to a cyber security company, Kaspersky. The top online threats for children are:

1) Cyberbullying - Globally, about 11.5% of children have been bullied online. Cyberbullying is an aggressive, threatening or intimidating activity conducted via electronic communication including email, social media posts and messages, SMSs, and more. In most cases, children are reluctant to admit that they are victims of cyberbullying.

2) Online predators - Children and adults share the same online space, more so in social media and game chatrooms. Online predators are adults who use the internet to entice children for sexual exploitation or other activities, including luring them with the intent to kidnap.

3) Exposure to inappropriate content - Inappropriate content includes sexually explicit content, violent and graphic content, age-inappropriate content, and downloading of pirated materials, including music and videos.

Ways in which schools may create safe learning environments.

Beyond the responsibility of schools to create safe environments on their physical property, they also have a responsibility to create safe online-learning environments. Supervision of children while using the devices alone is not enough, Schools must recognize, prioritize, and minimize students’ potential exposure to predators, inappropriate, and—sadly—other students causing harm by implementing best practices for online safety:

1. Safeguard on school-issued devices and platforms- School administration must take necessary precautions to ensure school-distributed electronic devices are not exposing children to harmful material. School to turn on parental control before giving devices to children
2. Education for parents – As a school administration at the very least, be very clear with parents and guardians what platforms and websites their kids will be using, provide them their children’s passwords, and direct them to resources they can use to have age-appropriate conversations with their kids at home about body safety, harms of adult content and digital citizenship among others.
3. Teacher training- We’ve been hearing of teachers using social media platforms to engage students, when those platforms are known to be pedophile hunting grounds and rampant with child sex abuse material. As school administration ensure Teachers and educators are clear about protocols and procedures when a student is exposed to or even sharing pornography while completing school assignments, on the playground, or school bus and they have the support and training necessary to deal with these potential harms. Digital Safety should be required for all school personnel—and there are many fantastic resources school administrations can use and tailor for their community.
4. Youth empowerment- In our increasingly tech-reliant education system, lessons around these issues should be required, prioritized, and ongoing. At a minimum, students should be well aware of school policies and expectations around devices (school-issued and personal) and Internet usage. Sooner, not later, is when students should be taught in age-appropriate ways about body safety, recognizing predatory behavior (in person and online), understanding the harms of pornography, and what to do if they’re exposed to it, being clear on the socio-emotional risks of “sexting”: sending sexually explicit photos of themselves, as well as the potential consequences-including criminal liability - of taking and/or sharing sexually explicit material or using it to bully, shame, or threaten someone (i.e. “revenge porn”), and most importantly what to do if they feel uncomfortable or threatened.