Be safe on the Internet – FLOW ambassadors

The digital world has a lot to offer our children. Games, learning opportunities, and the list goes on. But unfortunately, beneath the surface of this world lies areas of darkness – cyberbullying, predators, identity theft. These are just a few of the online threats children can stumble upon, and the consequences of these threats can leave lasting and potentially harmful scars.

How can we reduce risks and create a safer digital world? The truth is, threats will always be out there. FLOW Jamaica’s Safer Internet Ambassadors Asha-Rae Morgan, of the Half-Way Tree Primary, and Rejauni Cleghorne, of the Spanish Town Primary, have been teaching their peers how to safely navigate the digital space.

Ten-year-old Morgan believes that if children learn how to navigate the digital space early, they will be better prepared to make good decisions while online and take the necessary steps to be safe.

“I use the Internet a lot, and I teach my peers how to be safe. I tell them not to disclose personal information on the Internet. Do not share information such as address, phone number, school or after-school activities that they attend,” Morgan said.

“Children should also ask their parents for permission before sharing photographs on the Internet. I tell them that not everyone is a friend, and that some people on the Internet may even want to hurt them,” she added.

“Denying your children access to technologies is not a solution,” says Cleghorne. Digital devices, she said, have become a part of their everyday lives and are increasingly important for their development.

“No one else should know your passwords. Never give your passwords to a stranger, or lend them to another person, in person or over the Internet,” Cleghorne stated.

“Children can be exposed to harmful content and behaviour, such as cyberbullying, sexual harassment, pornography, or violence. I tell my peers to inform their parents if they are being harassed, or if someone is asking them for personal information,” Cleghorne added.

Morgan and Cleghorne were among a group of students that participated in FLOW’s Safer Internet WeekKids’ Table Talk on February 10. A subsidiary of Liberty Latin America (LLA), FLOW joined others in the group of companies to promote safer Internet behaviour.

The LLA group led several activities across the Caribbean and Latin America, under the global theme, ‘Together for a Better Internet’, and focused on the importance of digital responsibility and the measures people, more specifically young persons and seniors, can take to use the Internet safely.