Children at risk as pandemic pushes them online, International Telecommunications Union warns

Children are accessing the internet at a younger age, spending longer online and are at greater risk of cyber bullying as the COVID-19 pandemic keeps them at home, said the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). The United Nations agency estimates that 1.5 billion children are out of school due to lockdown measures to stop the spread of the new coronavirus, forcing them to go online for their schooling but also their social lives and hobbies. “Many children are coming online earlier than their parents had intended, at much earlier ages, and without the necessary skills to protect themselves whether it is from online harassment or cyber bullying,” said Doreen Bogdan-Martin, an ITU director. “The other thing is the length [of time] children are spending online whether simply for schooling or for entertainment, gaming, socialising... after their learning is completed.” The ITU is trying to accelerate the launch of recommendations for child protection online and release them over the next fortnight, Bogdan-Martin added.