Children’s risky wandering around the digital world

Six-year-old Samiul Islam (pseudonym) lives with his family in a rural village in Jhenaidah district. He has recently got admitted to a school. His a few videos, in which he was seen citing love quotes and saying unwanted words, suddenly went viral on social media platforms. Following this, he faced cyberbullying on social networking sites. The little boy didn't know what dialogue he delivered for that he was mocked. Actually, he did not create the videos, rather his elder brother, who is an adolescent, made him these. Thus, the two brothers – one child and another teenager – wander around the digital world without knowing its danger.

Samiul's maternal uncle Mostafizur Rahman told Jago News, "Samiul's elder brother would make him the videos and share these on Facebook. Later, the videos went viral. His parents can say more details in this regard. For this, he faced bitter words from the villagers. Now, his family doesn't allow making videos.”

"Samiul's age maybe six and he has recently got admitted to a school. His elder brother, who is a student of Class IX, created the videos. The two brothers together made the videos as their schools were shut due to the coronavirus. Samiul is a child and his elder brother made the videos unknowingly," he said.

In the videos uploaded on social media, children sometimes are seen making dialogue of love and trying to act in lovers' or goons' characters. Someone is seen trying to act in the villain's role with toy arms. Many people like and share these video and audio content created by the children which inspires the children to make more ones get viewers. In some cases, guardians also encourage their children to make these contents. They teach them dialogue which most are negative but unbeknownst to them. So, they face long-term problems and some of them are socially degraded.

Asked Action Aid Country Director Farah Kabir, she told Jago News, "It doesn't matter who trolls. Nowadays the number of social media platforms increased where various kinds of audio and videos are being created about children. The person who makes these should keep in mind whether the contents are children-friendly. It's not fair to do something for their own familiarity that affects the children. Contents about children should be child-friendly. We expect consistent words and speeches from the children in the ratio to their age. Those who make children these works will be conscious of this. They will keep the children's physical and mental safety in their mind."

"Those who troll children and make indecent comments should be aware. I will not say to severe head for headache. We cannot hide ourselves under soil for indecent remarks. Those who are busy with unsocial activities will have to work carefully. Importance should not be given on who and how makes comments on social media platforms. Because it will create a culture of fear.”

Fear of interruption in Children's social development

Though their contents go viral on social media platforms, most children have no knowledge about this. As a result, they are being presented sarcastically.

The psychologists said the presentation of the children in the social media content by the guardians may not be positive, instead, sometimes it may be excessively negative. For that reason, the children experience cyberbullying that may hamper their social development.

Dr Helal Uddin Ahmed, an associate professor of the National Institute of Mental Health and Hospital, and child psychiatrist told Jago News, "Social media should have a manner which all people, including children, will follow. People should be careful to make children content so that they are not criticized. It's linked to children's mental development. If children's social development is affected due to trolls or adverse comments, it may be long-term trouble for them. It can affect their personality. So, higher carefulness should be maintained in upholding anything about children in social media."

Various kinds of videos of the children are available on the internet. 

"We have no alternative to give mobile handsets in the hands of children because they will have to be included in technology. But it is also necessary to train them how to use the internet safely. This responsibility is of family. I think there is no need to make any policy to create content for the internet. Guardians will make policy in their own way. Government or state is less important here. I will say every family has its own culture, so they will create a policy accordingly," he added.

Content on social change by children

Street child Rana, a resident of Dhaka's Kamrangichar area, drew attention with his hip hop song 'Goli Boy Rana' after it spread on Facebook. In his song, Rana upheld his life struggle, dream, and society’s behaviour toward him. Helped by Dhaka University's Arabic department student Tabib Mahmud, he presents the life of the street children, the failure of the society, and its reformation in his song which got huge popularity abroad besides the country.

Tabib told Jago News, "Negative content on a child may affect him adversely. Probably now he cannot judge good or bad but bullying brings sad feelings to everyone, whatever, his age is. It affects children negatively. He will feel sad when he/she understands what negative words he said."

"Dhaka University has a subject on school psychology. Its students are experienced in these activities of the children. They are doing work with an amazing thing," he added.

Tabib also said, "Illusion attracts the content creators that lead them to make videos but don't understand how it will affect children's minds. I created content on Rana taking these into account. I tried to do something positive. I was always careful so that no negative message spreads in society through Rana."

In association with Tabib, Rana now talks about social reformation in his songs.

Ad creator Shahadat Alam Khan makes various kinds of content for children. He told Jago News, "Television media is somewhat different in the content making. The industry has censorship. The content creators here work their jobs carefully. There is no scope to present the children negatively."

He said, "We create the script of content on children with utmost importance. We maintain consistency with their age. Besides, we always try to avoid negative things in this respect. The content creators in social media make content from anywhere. As it is an open media, so there is no censor. On the other hand, in the media industry gatekeeper scrutinizes flaws after the creation of content, but there is no gatekeeper in social media. They present children negatively to make interesting content for view. But these contents affect children negatively."

"It is necessary to impose censor on content making through social media. Like Facebook which maintains community standards. It should be done in child content. We see these (negative contents) in only Indian sub-continent countries. In developed countries, children make very good creative content. They make information video blogs, travel blogs and playing videos, etc. But people in our country make negative content through children. These are not consistent with their age," he added.

Shahadat said, "The government should be aware of this. Because Facebook suddenly cannot find out the issue. They don't see any problem with the culture of different countries. Some voices should be raised in Bangladesh to resolve the problem. Then, it may draw the attention of services authorities like Facebook and YouTube."

What are the contents other countries' children making

Children tend to do newer tasks instead of doing the same work frequently. The children of different countries strengthen their position through creative works. In some cases, their activities surprise the world.

The expatriates said the children in countries like America and Europe make many creative contents. Though there is no policy, importance is given to the children’s highest security. Most children in the US use smartphones but they don't do negative anything. The little ones are becoming technology experts.

Safin Zahid, a Bangladeshi national residing in North Dakota of US, uploads his two-and-half-year-old child Ikhlas's video. He upholds his fun activities in video regularly. His family members and relatives in Bangladesh see the activities.

Safin told Jago News, "My son did not return home after birth due to various problems, including coronavirus outbreak. Family members want to see my child's activities. That is why I make 10-12 videos of Ikhlas and send these to their messenger and upload one on Facebook if it is funny. My well-wishers in Bangladesh want to see him. For this, I upload his video on Facebook."

He said, "When my child does something fun in own wish, I try to publish these. Sometimes I also try to do something fun with him but these have no negative message. All the parents have fun with their children. Children’s security should be kept in mind. Any video can be gone viral anytime. I try to ensure that nothing negative is in my child's video."

Paramita Him, is a writer, and journalist living in New York. She, also a content creator, said about content making, "At first, importance should be given that content is positive for the children. Children love to act in the adults’ characters and the elders also like to star in the role of little. But all roles of the adults aren't suitable for the children. These also negatively affect their mental development. So, making content considering the age is important. It is essential to maintain carefulness in issues like controversial and violent matters, and repression."

She also said, "Children's privacy should be maintained with importance. Nothing much should be done, for which the children face bullying/harassment. It is necessary to keep in mind before using children in any content that they will not be harassed for this in future."

How are Facebook and YouTube alerts about child content

The dependency on technology has recently risen much more due to the closure of educational institutions amid the coronavirus situation. It made devices like mobile-tablet available to the children. They became dependent on the internet to spend time and are creating different kinds of content.

The questions are raised frequently how are the social media platforms alert in these content creation and promotion. Though there is a ban on spreading unsuitable content to children, Facebook, YouTube, and other social media platforms have no measure in this respect.

Shireen Vakil, the head of safety, Facebook Asia Pacific, told Jago News, "It is required to be at least 13 years old to open Facebook and Instagram account. We invented a new technology to find out the accounts of the minors and shut these. Besides, we are looking for a new solution to verify the age of the users. One of our priorities is to maintain the teenagers' safety. The highest safety in any kind of threat and harassment to the minors and their photos' confidentiality have been emphasized in policies. Apart from this, we don't allow publication of any content which is sexually exploitative or dangerous for the children."

Not consistent with the children's age, such content is being created.

She said, "When we come to know about any sexual exploitation, report it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). We ask them to take the necessary measures. People should report to us if they see a violation of this platform’s community standard."

Meanwhile, YouTube prioritizes the mental and physical health of minors. This media is strict regarding child sexual harassment and cyberbullying. It removed as many as 11,82,403 videos inappropriate for the children in three months between October and December of 2021.

The YouTube authorities said it does not allow the content which is harmful or dangerous for the children and sexually appealing related to them. After removing the contents of sexually harassing the children, these are reported again. Besides, the social media platform has a strict policy on online harassment and cyberbullying. It doesn't allow other sexual content like pornography.

'School psychology' in resolving the childrens' mental problem

The children now grow with technology. Smartphones are available to them. They can introduce themselves to the world through the device. As consequence, they face various kinds of difficulties. School psychology works to solve this type of mental, social, and academic problem. Its main goal is to help parents, teachers, and students to develop the children in a healthy environment and discuss the children's demands.

Dhaka University's Psychology department Chairman Professor Dr Md Kamal Uddin told Jago News, "School-going children now face mental issues and will experience so in future, too. There are many reasons behind it. The guardians expect the highest GPA from the school-going children but we do not address their emotional and social problems. The main task of a school psychologist is to address this problem. They have to find out whether the source of the mental problem of a girl or boy is he himself or his teacher, family or community."

About the presentation of children in social media in which he has no knowledge, he said, "First of all, we have to see what the child's family and the surrounding structure is? With whom he stays and what learns and how reflects these. Is there any emotional disturbance? He looks for a chance for reflection of anger-desire among the people, social media may be the one opportunity."

Aminul Islam, who studied school psychology at DU, has recently joined as a lecturer in the Psychology department. He told Jago News, "Our main objective is to find out whether the students experience any institutional problem. The children go through various problems, we work about its effect in educational life."

He said, "Children themselves are not aware of the negative content on them uploaded on social media platforms. When he will learn to understand, it may affect him negatively. In this case, his family has a role. He may face bullying in school. Many people monitor reacts (reactions) to a post. The teachers in Bangladesh think how the students are given academic teaching but they don't give importance to counseling or their mental structure. They are also not aware that children's mental health may affect their educational life."

Legal step in content creation by the children

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) is a US-based organization. It works on different child rights, including stopping child abuse and eradicating child pornography. Facebook, Google, and Microsoft registered in the US, institutionally inform NCMEC about the use of children in sex work and abuse in their network. Bangladesh police's Criminal Investigative Department (CID) joined NCMEC in December last year. As per the information received from it, CID is conducting drives.

About making negative content by the children which are unbeknownst to them, CID Special Police Superintendent (cybercrime) Muhammad Rezaul Masud told Jago News, "We lay much importance on the children in case of crime through online media, including Facebook. There is a US-based organization named National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It monitors insulting or demeaning children in Bangladesh and informs us."

He said, "An organization has been established to keep children safe, in which all the digital media are bound to report. Facebook, Instagram, Google, and Twitter report if this type of event is found on social networking sites. The institutions report to NCMEC if the platforms notice cases of child-abusing, misusing, or negative content there. Then, NCMEC informs authorities of the countries concerned in this regard. CID is an authorized organization for our country and they send such contents to us. With this, we conducted several operations last year."

He said, "A thing is internationally is established that ensuring the good environment is essential for the children's mental development. The European countries give much importance to the children. Parents are arrested if a child is injured while playing. We on behalf of CID see these contents on children with utmost importance. Guardians should be aware of this. Parents must monitor the children's activities in virtual places considering their age. If they notice any deviation, make their children understand."

Government’s thought about the content made by children

The experts say to increase monitoring to keep children's internet use safe such as whether they face danger while using the internet or become addicted etc.

The specialists say once upon a time parents would think returning home before the evening is safe for the children. Now, if they are not digitally aware cannot know their children visit dark places of the world through computers staying home. In this case, parents’ awareness is crucial.

Women and Children Affairs Ministry's Additional Secretary (Children and Coordination Wing) Md Mohibuzzaman told Jago News, "Guidelines are needed on content creation by children in social media, including Facebook. ICT Division will do so. I talked about this in different forums and seminars. There is a Digital Security Act and users will have to be conscious."

He said, "In many cases, children are misled by their family members. And this is a social offense. It will have to be prevented through social awareness. If such offenses are committed despite this, victims will take shelter in the law. In different forums, I requested the ministry, ICT ministry, and public security division to address the issue. We are continuing the awareness programme."

In this respect, State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak told Jago News, "We have created a digital center. We have started a campaign of creating awareness among primary and secondary school students and it is now online. We want the complaints made by dialing 333 to be verified. We want not only to take legal action but also to create awareness and in some places, preventive measures. In that case, we have begun a massive campaign in three areas - digital literacy, cyber security, and social media management."

He said, "In this, every child and adolescent possibly be aware in this matters. Parents can take care of their children properly. Teachers can guide the students about this. We sat with Facebook and TikTok in this respect. We discussed the creation of a data analytics platform so that no content is created using their platforms that is violent to the children or women. Guardians’ awareness is urgent in this aspect."

About content making on children which unbeknownst to them, he said, "Guardians may think their likes and shares are increasing and they may get some money from advertisement through clicks. That is why they forget what content is negative or what positive. It's not the fault of children. We think awareness is necessary at the individual, family, and institutional level."

Zunaid Ahmed Palak also said, "Publishing content in media which is negative for children or women and created it in their absence of knowledge is an offense. If any family, relative, or any other person makes content by an underage child and shares it on social media but he can understand nothing due to age, it may damage his dignity later. In this case, family or teachers' awareness is very significant.

IHR/SU