With the increased use of digital platforms by children and the spike in online child abuse cases since the Covid-19 outbreak, West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) has taken up mass awareness campaigns and decided to recommend age-appropriate digital literacy in schools to make students aware of the risks involved in using social media platforms.

“Children are becoming vulnerable and many incidents of child trafficking, child marriage, child abuse and child pornography have been happening after the traffickers take to the internet to dupe them. At this stage, it is necessary to make the children aware of the pitfalls of careless sharing of personal information and photo on the internet by making it a part of school curriculum,” Chairperson of WBCPCR, Tulika Das said on the sidelines of the programme to observe ‘State Child Protection Day’ in collaboration with UNICEF here today.

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“Many incidents of child trafficking, child marriage, child abuse have been happening as a result of rampant sharing of personal information by children. The traffickers and other unscrupulous persons use fake identities on social media platforms to lure children into their traps,” she said.

A growing number of child abuse cases were tracked to have roots in careless sharing of personal data on social media. “We will recommend digital literacy to be included in the school curriculum and taught in a child-friendly way to safeguard them when they study or play or make friends on the internet,” the chairperson said.

To curb this growing menace, the commission released anti-trafficking posters, audio messages and music video in the programme on the theme of ‘stay safe online’ held at Gorkha Rangamancha Bhawan in Darjeeling. Children of Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, Malda and Murshidahad districts performed to build awareness on children’s issues. Five police personnel and two child care institutions were given awards for being child-friendly.

Urging children not to believe anyone on the internet, superintendent of police of Darjeeling Praveen Prakash said that personal information, private photographs, personal address, personal phone number, location, school name should never be posted or shared with anyone on the social media platforms.

“Update your privacy setting on social media platforms and hide your identity, block the identity sharing option and delete all unknown persons from friend list,” Prakash, who was DCP of cyber crime in Kolkata, said these practices as ‘cyber hygiene’ to be followed by everyone.

UNICEF, which collaborated with the child rights body in organising today’s programme, works closely with WBCPCR on various child safety programmes in the state. Chief of UNICEF in West Bengal Prabhat Kumar also urged the children and adults to be careful when working on the internet. “You must think before posting, sharing and accepting any picture, information or data on the internet. Always inform your friends or relatives or police or authorities when you find someone being a victim of cyber bullying,” he said.

Mayor of Siliguri Goutam Deb, WBCPCR Secretary R Arjun, district magistrate of Darjeeling Preeti Goyel, secretary of Gorkha Territorial Administration, ST Bhutia, principal magistrate Juvenile Justice Board of Darjeeline Aparna Chatterjee, director child rights and trafficking Nilanjana Dasgupta, CMOH Dr Tulsi Pramanik and WBCPCR advisors, members and consultants were also present at the programme.