By the time cases of child abuse over the internet reach the police, they are much “too messy”, according to Police Inspector Trevor Sammut from the cybercrimes unit.
He appealed to kids to continue enjoying these tools but to be supervised responsibly and taught about the consequences of their bad use.
Mr Sammut was speaking at the launch of the national initiative BeSmartOnline, set up for a safer internet, establishing, operating and promoting reporting facilities for abuse and providing support to victims and their families.
Coordinated by the Malta Communications Authority, the consortium includes Appoġġ Agency, the Office of the Commissioner for Children, the Directorate for Educational Services, the Secretariat for Catholic Education and the Malta Police Force.
During a panel discussion at the Phoenicia Hotel, Floriana, the challenge of finding the balance between access to the internet – a fundamental right for children – and protecting them from abuse was highlighted.
A balance also had to be struck between the “marvel” of technology, which no one denied, and the perils it could pose to the more vulnerable members of society.
The stakeholders are each involved in protecting children but the primary responsibility was the parents’, who remained their main educators, assisted by the services on offer, it was established.
The police had a secondary role, Mr Sammut said, pointing out they were not the nation’s “board of censorship, building the Great Firewall of Malta”.
The key, he maintained, was the education campaign on how to use the internet safely.
“We used to tell children not to talk to strangers and not to accept sweets from them. Today, we warn them about this and then send them to play on their computers,” he said of the irony of the situation.
“It is a pity the police have to trigger action in parents,” Mr Sammut said, pointing out that what was once considered virtual was now connected to reality.
It was useless and senseless to try and keep kids away from technology, which was one with society, Mr Sammut said, adding it was also pointless preventing children from having a computer in their bedroom when their mobile phones were connected to the internet, the latest threat to safety.
Referring to Facebook, the social networking site, he said “our children are potentially at the disposal of 250 million daily active users”.
Under-13-year-olds do not have access to Facebook but many know how to experiment with their date of birth and engage in their first “mini hack” – often with the help of their parents, Mr Sammut said.
Without wanting to demonise Facebook, its downside was also highlighted by the Parliamentary Assistant at the Communications Ministry, Charlò Bonnici, who quoted a line from the film The Social Network – “You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies” – to make his point on the dangers that existed.
He highlighted the issue of “disposable friends” and the fact that children were becoming introverts and losing their social skills.
The discussion on internet safety was also addressed by Education Minister Dolores Cristina, who welcomed the initiative; Children’s Commissioner Helen D’Amato; Education Services director general Micheline Sciberras; Foundation for Social Welfare Services CEO Sina Bugeja; and Lawrence Bonello, head of department (PSD & Guidance), Directorate for Educational Services, Secretariat for Catholic Education.
They offered an insight into the digital divide between parents and children and the difficulty encountered by educators to deal with internet safety, the problem of cyber bullying and grooming. Ms D’Amato said: “In the past bullying stopped at the school door, today it is 24/7.”
Through the initiative, co-financed by the EU’s Safer Internet Programme, supportline 179 will be used as a helpline and hotline, offering advice on internet safety and where any abuse can be reported.
An education campaign will be targeting all schools and a national advisory board has been set up to facilitate discussion with local stakeholders.