SHARJAH, 26th June, 2025 (WAM) -- The "Enough Violence" forum, held by the Sharjah Social Services Department, focused on the important theme of keeping children safe online. The event concluded with several key suggestions aimed at enhancing the protection of children in the digital world.
To help keep children safe in the digital world, schools should incorporate lessons about online safety into their curricula. Additionally, every school should have a coordinator responsible for ensuring the safety of students when using technology. It's also crucial to teach parents how to use technology thoughtfully and keep an eye on their children's online activities.
Furthermore, there are proposals to share the successful "Digital Life Ambassadors" programme among various educational institutions. This programme could help provide mental health support to students and teachers through online counselling services. To raise awareness about responsible technology use, events like "Digital Week" should be organised.
Forum participants have suggested inviting big tech companies to collaborate on community and technical support agreements to safeguard children online. They also called for a national hotline where people can report any online abuse or problems.
At the family level, the recommendations called on parents to use parental control software to determine what content is allowed for children, set screen and technology usage times based on age, monitor inappropriate apps and websites, and educate them not to share passwords, even with friends.
It also warned against opening suspicious links or downloading files from unreliable sources. It recommended postponing the use of social media for children under 13, incorporating digital child rights concepts into school activities and curricula, developing a comprehensive national policy for digital child protection in partnership with all parties, and developing training programmes for teachers and specialists to address digital challenges.
Captain Dr. Ashba Hamad Al Ketbi, who leads the Database Branch at Sharjah Police, highlighted the crucial role of families in protecting children. She pointed out that a supportive family helps children feel secure and encourages them to share any fears or dangers they might face.
For her part, Joelle Chamoun, a lecturer at the Higher Colleges of Technology, said that a new disease has begun to spread, known as "nomophobia," a fear of losing one's mobile phone, and that it affects adults and children alike. She noted that some children experience screaming and nervous outbursts when their phones are taken away from them, a worsening phenomenon that requires immediate intervention.
Alia Al Shamsi, a Compliance Management Expert at the Sharjah Private Education Authority, recently discussed the organisation's commitment to creating a safe online learning environment for students. One important step the authority is taking is making sure that teachers are properly licensed through specific tests.
At the end of the session, Jawaher Abdullah, a social education expert from the Social Services Department, introduced a new programme called the "Safe Digital Life Ambassadors". This initiative aims to teach people about the importance of staying safe online and being responsible in their digital interactions. Launched in 2024 to align with Safer Internet Day, the programme is designed to help students build important leadership skills and develop values that promote safety in the digital world.