Safety Online First
Online safety is a critical aspect of our digital lives, as more and more of our personal information and activities are conducted over the internet.
Regulation
The recommendations of the report “Impact of Internet on Children in Mauritius” were acknowledged by the Government of Mauritius in 2009 and this has led to the setting up of a national committee on child safety online. Halley Movement is a member of that committee.
The global internet offers new opportunities for children and families to research their homework online, communicate at the international level, and build personal websites to share their creativity with others. However, while the technology offers unparalleled opportunities for children and adults to learn, it has also an immeasurable impact on the sexual exploitation of children and other abuses, such as child pornography, cyberbullying grooming, and paedophilia.
According to the Internet Child Safety Foundation Survey – “Impact of Internet on Children” conducted in September 2007 in Mauritius, it had been found that less than 10% of parents monitor the websites visited by their children. The implementation of the Action Plan would, therefore, help consolidate measures taken to combat child abuse online.”
Cabinet Decisions taken on 30 January 2009.
Prime Minister’s Office, Mauritius
Internet Child Safety Foundation
Halley Movement, through its subsidiary organ – Internet Child Safety Foundation – seeks to protect our children while they are online. The Internet is a useful tool for our children, however, they are oftentimes ignorant of the risks that they may face.
Ongoing Campaigns
While the current trend for most families is to possess personal computers, internet users are more at risk of online dangers. Chat, emails, and the internet in itself are dangerous tools that we use in everyday life. Since most families are unaware of such problems they may face, ICSF has started a safe surfing campaign in the country and has now extended to other countries as well.
The overall objective of the ‘Safe Surfing Campaign’ is to promote safe internet use by everybody and be prudent online. Colleges, executives, kids, and family are all being briefed on safety rules while being online. Posters, bookmarks, and leaflets are all used to educate internet users to take precautions online.
Research Study on Impact Of Internet On Children In Mauritius
The objective of the study was to collect data to answer the key research question about how children in Mauritius are using the Internet and study and describe the impact on the users.
