Let’s redouble efforts to make the internet safer for children

A pupil at Sironga Primary School in Nyamira using a tablet. [Stanley Ongwae, Standard]

Following the Covid-19 outbreak, children spent close to 10 hours online per day compared to about 20 minutes pre-Covid, according to the Disrupting Harm in Kenya Report of October 2021.

The prolonged access to the internet led to increased risks of abuse. In fact, in June 2020, Kenya’s Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Unit raised a red flag over a spike in online trafficking, recruitment, and exploitation of children.

As we mark the Safer Internet Day today, the world is facing the reality that access to the internet has led to an increase in Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Children (OSEAC).

OSEAC occurs on online platforms designed to enhance communication and interactions between groups of people such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. As of January 2021, Kenya had a mobile connection of 59.24 million, equivalent to 108.9 per cent of the population.

The rapid growth in internet use among children has created a range of safety concerns, including identify theft, bullying and harassment, sex trafficking, hate crimes, terrorist recruitment and promotion, mis or disinformation, and financial scams. On the flipside, the internet has opened a world of possibilities, including educational opportunities and virtual schooling witnessed throughout Covid-19 period.

Kenya has seen an exponential growth in digital devices fueled by development of internet infrastructure across the country. More people, including children and youth, can access the internet. The consequence is increased risk of online abuse of children since increased access to the internet has not been accompanied by matching measures to ensure a safe environment for children.

OSEAC is defined as all acts of a sexually exploitative nature carried out against a child that have, at some stage, a connection to the online environment. It includes any use of ICT that results in sexual exploitation or causes images or other material documenting such sexual exploitation to be produced, bought, sold, possessed, distributed, or transmitted.’

OSEAC has become a major threat to the wellbeing of children across the world. The 2021 Disrupting Harm in Kenya report shows that between five and 13 per cent of internet-using children aged 12-17 reported experiencing OSEAC in the year preceding the study. This number is likely higher as many children do not disclose these abuses. The report shows that 7 per cent of children had their sexual images shared with others without their consent.

At the same time, another 7 per cent said they had been offered money or gifts in return for sexual images or videos of themselves. These findings amplify the extent of OSEAC, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, the report indicates that less than 5 per cent of children subjected to OSEAC said that they reported to police or a national helpline. Perpetrators are most often someone the child already knows.

Findings show different efforts in place to address OSEAC in Kenya including the National Plan of Action on the Prevention of OSEAC, the Computer and Cyber Crime Act and the Sexual Offences Act. Child Protection System Guidelines are also in place to guide actors at the county level to deliver more coordinated and professional services for children. Non-governmental organisations champion efforts to create awareness of OSEAC.

ChildFund Kenya, for instance, has partnered with Google to launch an online safety project with the Communications Authority of Kenya, Telecom leaders, and Civil Society Organisations to deliver the first comprehensive campaign of its kind.

While this is plausible, more still needs to be done to protect children from online predators. At home, parents and caregivers should monitor children’s online activities, while state actors such as the Ministry of Education and Department of Children’s Services should build the capacity of teachers to sensitise children and youth on ways to stay safe online.

Ms Anukur is the Country Director, ChildFund Kenya