Save the Children Jordan calls for enhanced awareness, prevention on Safer Internet Day

AMMAN — On the occasion of Safer Internet Day, Save the Children Jordan called for enhanced awareness and prevention programmes to create a safer digital environment for children and adolescents.

In a statement to The Jordan Times, the organisation emphasised that "protecting children online is a shared responsibility requiring coordinated efforts across all sectors."

It also stressed the importance of continuously updating legislation to address evolving digital threats.

The organisation also said that while national laws provide a foundation for child protection,  it warned that legal measures must be regularly updated to address emerging risks.

The Child Rights Law includes provisions to safeguard children from cybercrimes, and the Cybercrime Law imposes stricter penalties, including hard labour and fines of up to 45,000 JOD, for online abuse and exploitation.

The organization also called for "the establishment of a survivors' compensation fund to support children and adolescents affected by cybercrime."

The fund would provide essential psychological and social support services for victims. Save the Children Jordan also urged policymakers to strengthen digital data protection, improve the handling of digital evidence, and officially recognise cyberbullying and online abuse as distinct crimes.

A study published by Save the Children Jordan in November 2024 highlighted growing concerns about children's online safety.

The findings revealed that 15.8 per cent of children aged 10 to 17 had experienced online violence, with cyberbullying, hacking, extortion, and harassment being the most common threats.

The study also found that 75 per cent of parents were unaware that their children had been subjected to online abuse, and only 9 per cent reported using parental control applications.

Save the Children Jordan also proposed several measures to improve online safety, including digital literacy programmes for children, adolescents, and families; integrating digital safety education into school curricula; and launching nationwide media campaigns to raise awareness.

The organisation also recommended providing clearer guidance for adolescents on protecting personal data, recognising online threats, and using parental controls, filtering systems, secure search engines and antivirus software.

Save the Children Jordan also called for training sessions to equip parents and caregivers with the skills necessary to ensure their children's online safety.

It also suggested that the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Culture, and media outlets take a more active role in promoting digital safety initiatives.