The document is designed with vibrant illustrations and presented in a way that helps readers easily understand, memorise and follow. — VNS Screenshot

HÀ NỘI — A handbook on child safety in cyberspace was launched by the Authority of Information Security under the Ministry of Information and Communications on Thursday. 

The document aims to provide practical tools for children and their parents to ensure their safety on the internet while enhancing their digital skills. 

Reports from the General Statistics Office of Việt Nam (GSO) showed that by the end of 2023, Việt Nam’s population reached approximately 100.3 million people, with children making up nearly a quarter of this figure. Two-thirds of children have access to internet-connected devices. 

Although authorities, information technology companies and cybersecurity engineers have made efforts to ensure a safe online sphere, equipping young people with digital skills and enhancing their capacity for self-protection is considered a fundamental requirement.

According to the US National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), there were more than 533,200 reports of child sexual abuse images/videos online related to Việt Nam in 2023.

Việt Nam is also third in ASEAN (behind Indonesia and the Philippines) for child safety risks in the cyber sphere. 

This handbook is therefore a crucial tool, especially with a national programme focused on protecting and assisting children to have healthy and creative interactions in cyberspace issued by the Government under Decision No 830/QĐ-TTg on June 1, 2021.

The document is designed with vibrant illustrations and presented in a way that helps readers easily understand, memorise and follow guidelines. 

The handbook has separate dedicated sections for children under six, children between 6-11 and adolescents aged 11-16, as well as a general section on the basics of the internet and child safety in cyberspace and a section introducing useful tools and software to protect children when using the internet.

Nguyễn Phú Lương, deputy director of the National Cyber Security Centre, said that the handbook was designed to be simple and easy to understand, as the main target audience is children. 

However, family involvement is crucial to fully take advantage of the handbook, especially for children under six. This means daily conversations on the matter are encouraged to help children gradually form awareness of cyber safety and digital skills from a young age. 

For those aged six and above, it is necessary to have support from teachers, schools and social organisations to increase their awareness of personal information privacy and safety while using the internet.

Quizzes and games are recommended to assess children’s awareness of information security, foster interactions and improve the effectiveness of their learning, said Lương. 

Nguyễn Mai Hạnh, a resident in Hà Nội’s Hà Đông District, said that while there are abundant online child safety materials available on the internet and mass media, having a detailed and comprehensive handbook is helpful for families and schools to enhance their own understanding and help young children protect themselves in cyberspace. 

The handbook is available free of charge at vn-cop.vn/cnbvte2024. — VNS