In a bid to promote safer and more responsible use of online technologies, the Nigeria Integrity Film Awards (HomeVida) in collaboration with Google and National Films and Video Censor Board (NFVCB) have trained over 2000 students on Internet-use safety.
Safer Internet Ambassador and actor, Femi Jacobs, during the training in Abuja, said there is the need for children to be taught some basic security tips especially when using the social media as recent global happenings have shown that the Internet, though useful, could have severe adverse effects when not properly modified.
However, he called on the government to improve on the curricular and also to provide more computers for learning, stating that several of the students have mobile phones with Internet facilities and can easily access information which might be detrimental to their well-being and future.
“Standards need to improve across board and not just in schools as everything in the world will soon be driven by technology. There are automated and assisted living. The students have mobile phones and that’s where the danger is. Students can access all kinds of materials and information from the net on their own,” he said.
“There’s usually a false sense of security and familiarity when chatting with a stranger. The students might think they know them but they don’t. Some of them don’t even have their real names and pictures there and so, even the law enforcement agents can’t even trace them. After chatting with them for sometime, the students will want to meet them and they are lured.
Mobile penetration is now over 140 million in Nigeria. It used to be about 40 million but not anymore. Most of the adverts on television are targeted towards the minds of children. Someone can pose as a friend on the Internet but is a child trafficker and they have their agents all over,” he added.
