In this era of technology, everyone depends on the internet to further their knowledge, research projects, for entertainment, and an avenue through which one can easily connect with family and friends. It is important to note that despite the internet being interesting it poses dangerous effects especially for the younger generations who easily buy into any content they come across.
Traffickers employ tactical approaches that enable them first to identify their vulnerabilities and then camouflage as good friends with common interests making it easier for them to share manipulative content.
The internet is addictive by nature and once a child has become exposed to it, most likely, he or she will end up wanting to spend most of their time on it. As the world is battling the COVID 19 pandemic, many children have had to adapt to this channel as the only option for them to carry on with their studies. It is therefore imperative for parents to monitor their children as they study to ensure that they are not exposed to mind corrupting sites that will initiate them to radicalization.
Child trafficking and child exploitation according to reports by the Anti-Human and Child Protection Unit (AHTCPU) have notably been on the increase during this pandemic season because human traffickers are capitalizing on the online platform to recruit, groom and exploit children and lure adults into feeling the pinch of the emaciated economy as a result of COVID 19.
The traffickers employ tactical approaches that enable them first to identify their vulnerabilities and then camouflage as good friends with common interests making it easier for them to share manipulative content. They then tactfully manage to build the confidence of their victims online by engaging in conversations that lead to connection and consequently detaching children from parents or guardians and this close connection finally paves way for physical connection offline.
It is worth noting that whatever one posts online can end up causing a lasting effect later in life. Information shared out can also easily act as a link to radicalizers to know much about you and even be able to track you down.
Extremists have become cognizant of the fact that children are now being left alone to surf the internet without scrutiny by parents hence they have taken advantage of this by creating content that appeals to the young generation. The sooner parents realize that as much as the internet is very helpful it can also be very dangerous the better.
Getting into one of these things’ inappropriate websites, and posts might end up having a long-lasting irreversible effect. It is therefore important that we keep the message internet safety in mind and always monitor and direct our children on their online activities. Parents and guardians ought to be at the frontline in observing the content children are consuming online, they should be aware of what their kids see and hear on the Internet, who they meet, and what they share about themselves and talk with their children, help them use tools to protect them, and keep an eye on their online activities.