Telecenters and International Telecommunication Day

[Dean Mulozi]

Dear network members,
On the 17th of May 2009, African countries join the rest of the world to mark World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. The international Telecommunications Union (ITU) adopted this year’s theme as Protecting children in cyberspace.

The theme aims at ensuring that children can safely access the Internet and its valuable resources without accessing the dangers cyberspace. The event will provide an opportunity to many countries in Africa to show and create awareness among stakeholders on the need for internet security among children.

Key questions arise if telecenters have a role to play on this years event. We have seen that many telecenters have done a lot on issues of llvelihood development in sectors of agriculture, education, health and small business development but not sure of this years theme on the ITU day if telecenters have some concerns on the plight of children on the internet security.

Have telecenters and network leaders prepared any activity on this day?
Are telecenter services touch issues of internet security and children ?

For example in Zambia, we have prepared an exibtion with a special focus on intenet security.

Any ideas, activities, issues arising from some parts of the world with focus on the role of telecenters?

Dean Mulozi

[Sandra Nassali]

Hi Dean, since some pages and content are not suitable for all internet users, telecentres indeed have to play a role as regards issues of internet security and children. Here is how i think it can be done:

Telecentres should talk to children about the dangers of the Internet and what they should not do while using it. Below is a basic listing of what they may consider discussing with them and how it can be harmful to their health and personality if accessed:

The presence of nudity
The presence of sexual content
The depiction of violence
The language used
The presence or absence of user-generated content and whether this is moderated
The depiction of other potentially harmful content such as gambling, drugs and alcohol

This can be done by a Youth Representative/ Head at the centre and such should be personalities in society whom the youth look up to. The youth should be clearly taught why such content is dangerous.
Also, other community member like elders and parents should be advised by telecentres to talk to their children about the dangers of certain contents on the internet.

Telecentres can also encourage the use filtering software to allow or disallow access to web sites based on the information declared in the label. In order to facilitate filtering for telecentres/parents, using PICS filters such as Microsoft Internet Explorer's Content Advisor can be of great help as they help determine which content can be accessed or not.

Sandra

[Dean Mulozi]

Hi Sandra,
You have put critical issues on the role of telecenters on cyber security on children. I must say although many telecenters tend to ignore this fact. I realise as I pointed out before some telecenters may not have this as a priority.
From your response, I pick out Content and software as important issues to look up to as telecenters makes efforts on internet security protection among children.

I must say though that this may not be only relevant to children but also adult telecenter members. Many telecenters and school resource centers advocate for the establishment of internet security youth clubs. These could be change agents or serve as awareness for other youth members of the community on dangers of some internet content.
One other advice to telecenters to adapt telecenter bylaws that could deal with protetion of childern or laws governing use of internet at telecenters by childern or generally youth.

I know the use of telecenters are now evolving and there will be a need to incoporate children's content especially to those telecenters near rural schools without access to internet. There will be a need to allow childern to use internet at telecenters for school work.

Thanks Sandra

[Laia Fauró Gual]

Hello Dean Mulozi,

This issue (Safely internet for children) is really interesting, and this exhibition to celebrate the Internet Day sounds really good. Thanks for sharing this information!

I would like to suggest something to you (and to any other interested member of the community):
In Spain (Esplai Foundation Network) there are some facilitators that are organizing special activities for this date in order to increase the projects visibility, to improve the interaction between telecentres, to promote good practices between facilitators...

In some telecentres there are activities going on the whole week.
I wonder if establishing a video chat or any other kind of interaction between telecentres of different (regions/countries) would be nice as an other activity to celebrate the International Internet Day.

I have just contacted one of the facilitators' coordinator to suggest this idea, and he seemed interested. Why don't we try to facilitate the contact between them? Presenting each other and knowing what is going on in a Telecentre from another place could be really nice.

What do you think?
Are there other members interested in contacting people from other places in a video chat to celebrate the International Internet day?

Thank you all. Best wishes,
Laia

[Dean Mulozi]

Hi Laia,
I will get your feedback on Monday. I will contact relevant telecenters to the chart.

It will be good to know the response as your suggestions are very important and we will prepare for this.

Thanks

Dean

[Francis Mwathi]

The future of Internet is bright with the expected fibre optic cables set to help lower internet charges. This should help schools afford it for their educational purposes. Even people of all walks of life will soon be able to afford the internet and have it in their homes. On the flipside, however, the internet if not well regulated could lead to moral degradation because of the enormous resources some of is not fit for children. While in school settings regulation can be effected through use of servers and firewalls I don’t know how parents will be able to monitor what their children should or should not access at homes. Digital Satellite Television (DSTV) which is a very popular pay television channel in Africa has a Parental Guidance (PG) setting complete with password that parents can enable and be sure their children see only what they are allowed to.

Are there protective soft wares that can be use in computers to regulate the kind of internet material streaming into a personal computer?

[Dean Mulozi]

Hi all,
What makes the 17th of May day in Zambia very intresting is that apart from the International Communication Day celebrations, it initiates a 4 day ICT exibition that concides with an international regulators conference. We are expecting from all over African countries, mainly governments, operators, and development institutions.

The events are International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Regional Development Forum and the Forum on Telecommunication/ICT Regulation and Partnership in Africa (FTRA 2009) from May 18 to 19, 2009 and 20th and 21st May.

This means that the events gives local service providers such as the private sector and development organisations to exibit their products and services to the conference participants and the media.
The local telecenters are to be represented by those located near Lusaka.