According to recent research, the risks of online scams, catfishing, digital threats, and the spread of harmful content continue to rise, posing serious challenges to internet safety. While the internet has greatly improved our lives and made the world more connected, we all share the responsibility of keeping it safe, clean, and healthy.

Our online and offline worlds are only as good as we make them. Internet safety is a collective effort, and it starts with each of us. On this special day—February 11th 2025—let’s take at least one step toward creating a safer digital space for ourselves, our children, and future generations.

Please share this message and help make the internet a better place for everyone!

Abie Amen- Internet Safety Educator

Then came the age of social media, where all the boundaries of traditional media houses were broken, the lines of good news sense were crossed, and anyone could create and publish their own news and content.

Older generations can still relate to the formal media type, but Generation Z was born into the seemingly chaotic social media terrain. Most cannot differentiate between good and bad news, misinformation, and disinformation.

As parents of young children and youth, we teach them how to identify credible news and valid information and discredit negative social media trends.

Believe it or not, the average youth will seek answers from popular search engines and peers before they ask their parents. While this innocent move may sometimes produce the result they are looking for, they may not be able to discern the truth. The generated answers can be confusing and may lead them to seek more information, spiralling down the rabbit hole.

Here are a few tips to help you when connecting with your youth about media use and decency:

• Social media news is not verified or scrutinized by any authority.
• Not all expert or professional posts are valid.
• The use of AI to create lifelike images and similar voices is on the rise.
• A real author and a real voice can be cloned.
• Social media monetization has caused increased content creation competition, leading to the use of high-risk, obscene, and unethical imagery.
• Like traditional entertainment, social media content is not rated by any approved or controlled body.
• If you create content, remember that your contribution to the digital landscape makes a difference, and you can decide the impact you bring.
• Youth model the behaviour in their circles of influence, so make the best use of it.
• Less than 0.9% of content creators have ever hit a million views.

Check out our digital citizenship module for more information.

So before you go ‘Live’ with your conflict next time, try to reach the other person directly and work things out. It is still the most civilized way of resolving conflicts.

Blogger: Abie Amen

#protectingchildrensecuringourfuture