What does the digital safety of first-time and young users have to do with Telenor’s Internet for All commitment in Asia?
When we’re giving access to more people, we’re also then responsible for promoting the safe use of the Internet. For me, these go hand in hand. On the one hand, we’re confident that Internet for All and the spread of mobile connectivity will enrich the lives of children, enabling them to share, engage, learn and be entertained. On the other hand, the Internet also exposes them to risks and they need to be educated on how the online world should be safely navigated.
What is Telenor’s view on kids and new users coming online for the first time? Is it “the more, the merrier?”
Yes. New users and children with access to the Internet is definitely positive thing. We see that the benefits of the Internet far outweigh any harm that can result. But we cannot afford to be complacent. New users need awareness to stay safe online. One of the lessons learned from our work so far is that we have to reach out just as much to the people that surround the kids, like parents and teachers.
How do you do this? What experiences does Telenor have in this arena and what will be best applied in Asia?
We take these messages on Safe Internet directly to the kids. We engage them and make it real for them. One of the campaigns we’ve had in Norway, called ‘Bruk Hue’, meaning ‘Use Your Head’ in English, visits schools and parents to increase awareness of cyber bullying. Education campaigns like these are currently being replicated, and in some cases, enhanced in Asia. An ongoing success there is the Cybersafe Program that our Malaysian operations, DiGi, have built.
Another learning experience is that building alliances with capable organizations that strive to mitigate the online risks children face is key. Cooperating with governments is equally important.
How many children do you expect to be coming online in the next few years in your Asia markets?
In our markets, we are projecting an online increase of 100 million children by the year 2017 and up to 85% of them will be online via mobile. In our Asia markets alone, we have a half-billion children below the age of 14 – the great majority of whom will be surfing the mobile Internet in the coming 10 years.
What are some common safety risks these new users and kids may encounter when online?
Common safety risks include exposure to harmful content, digital bullying, harassment and online fraud or theft. Online “grooming” – when predators pretend to be children and befriend them online – is another possible risk that parents and children should be made aware exists.
What risks are unique or more common in Asia?
The risks may not be unique to Asia, but with the rapid spread of Internet access in Asia comes greater risk in general because resilience and “internet literacy” is less developed and widespread. Many young users in these markets do not have parents who are able to guide them, and one of the conclusions from the BCG study we commissioned in 2013 was that factors such as education levels, online experience over time and a country’s institutional strength in protecting its citizens all contribute to the resilience of an individual. The sheer numbers of new users in Asia – hundreds of millions – that we’re going to have to educate and keep safe online means this is going to be a large undertaking for our industry, for NGOs and for our governments. But we are up to it.
How does mobile Internet present unique safety challenges to children versus internet via laptop/desktop?
The mobile Internet is even more instant than desktop Internet because it’s with you all the time. Physically, it’s also more difficult for parents to keep an eye on what’s going on. The risk is more constant – again, particularly to children – because some kids may not stop to think about the consequences of what sites they’re visiting, or with whom they’re sharing and publishing content.
What are some of the programs that you’ll be launching to support this cause?
We’re already learned a lot about the best ways to interact with children from successful outreach programs in Norway, Malaysia, Serbia, Sweden and Montenegro. So, now it’s our aim to leverage the synergies we’ve developed with other players in these markets to launch similar initiatives in more Telenor markets going forward.
We were the first mobile provider to collaborate with Interpol to create a mobile Internet filter for child sexual abuse content. We have filters in place in all European business units (save Bulgaria), and in Bangladesh and Pakistan. And the rest of our business units in Asia are committed to following through in the near future. We have the responsibility to do whatever we can to stop this criminal content.
It’s important to stress how much of an opportunity the mobile Internet for All is for children. It’s just the risks we need to be mindful of to keep kids safe. Digital responsibility and Internet for All should not be seen as two separate ambitions. They are one and the same.
