Telecommunications giant Safaricom on Wednesday held an event to mark the annual Safer Internet Day, which is celebrated internationally to champion for the responsible use of the internet.
The event; a joint collaboration between Safaricom, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), sought to raise awareness about the opportunities presented by the internet as well as the risks that arise from using the information superhighway.
In an official statement, Sanda Ojiambo; the Head of Corporate Responsibility at Safaricom, attributed the move to the need to safeguard the wellbeing of young internet users.
“We see the internet as a resource that all children should have access to, safely. Ensuring the safety of young internet users means encouraging them, and their parents, to adopt what we’re calling the 4Rs: Respect, Responsibility, Reasoning and Resilience,” Ms. Ojiambo said.
“In this way, they can tap into the opportunities provided by the internet, while at the same time learning how to identify and deal with the risks associated with being online including cyber bullying, radicalization and exposure to inappropriate content.”
In November 2018, Safaricom signed the Kenya Child Online Protection Industry Charter to demonstrate its commitment to enhancing the safety of children on the internet. The company has also integrated the Children’s Rights and Business Principles (CRBP) into its operations, working closely with UNICEF, United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and Save the Children to protect the rights of children in the workplace, the marketplace and the community.
“As
a result of our work with various partners, we have also drafted a Safaricom
Child Online Safety Policy whose objectives are to help consumers understand
the rights of children online; to create awareness on the various risks that
children face while online and to equip children, parents, caregivers and guardians
with online safety tips. Additionally, we are working with Internet Watch Foundation
to identify and block websites that target young users with inappropriate
content from our network, and have partnered with the Communications Authority
on Be The Cop, a child online protection initiative,” said Ms. Ojiambo.
