NAVIGATING THE DIGITAL AGE: ENSURING CHILDREN ARE SAFE IN THE ONLINE WORLD
Rapid growth of smartphones, affordable internet, and social media has significantly transformed the way children in Goa communicate, learn, and socialise. From urban areas like Panaji, Mapusa and Margao to rural villages, children today have easy access to digital devices. While technology offers many educational and social benefits, it also exposes children to serious risks, including online abuse, exploitation, and cyberbullying.
Recent trends across India, including cases reported to Victim Assistance Unit in Goa, show an increasing number of child abuse incidents originating through online platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, and WhatsApp. In many instances, perpetrators first befriend children through social media, gradually build trust, and then manipulate them for exploitation. The Unit completes 12 years of its set up, has handled over 4,000 cases involving violence against children and women, with a significant portion of these cases stemming from social media platforms.
In present day, digital awareness for parents is essential. Just as they ensure their child’s physical safety, they must now take proactive steps to protect their child in the online environment.
Understanding How Online Grooming Happens: Online abuse rarely begins with threats. Most perpetrators appear friendly and trustworthy. They often pretend to be teenagers, classmates, or someone with shared interests such as music, gaming, or sports. In Goa, where children are often socially active and digitally connected, this makes them particularly vulnerable. Perpetrators typically start with casual conversations or compliments building emotional trust over time. They then gradually introduce secrecy (“don’t tell your parents”), request personal information or photos and finally move conversations to more private platforms. In several reported cases, what began as a simple friend request eventually led to blackmail or exploitation. This highlights the importance of early awareness and active parental vigilance.
Risks Associated with Popular Apps
Snapchat: Snapchat is widely used among teenagers due to its “disappearing messages” feature. However, this creates a false sense of security. Images and messages can still be saved through screenshots or external devices. Children may be pressured into sharing photos, believing they will disappear. In reality, these images can later be used to blackmail or to coerce. Many child protection experts recommend restricting or delaying access to such apps for younger children.
Instagram: Instagram is popular among Goan youth for sharing photos and connecting socially. However, parents must understand that, strangers can send direct messages, initiate voice and video calls.
Perpetrators often begin by liking posts or commenting, then gradually move to private messaging. In some cases, children are encouraged to shift conversations to WhatsApp or Snapchat, where monitoring becomes more difficult.
The “Lock Chat” Feature on WhatsApp: WhatsApp is commonly used by for school communication and social interaction. A newer feature—Lock Chat—allows conversations to be hidden behind a password or fingerprint.
While this feature is intended for privacy, it can also prevent parents from identifying risky or inappropriate interactions. Parents should be aware of such features, openness, and transparency
If possible, avoid allowing children to use these high-risk mobile applications, especially those where strangers can easily contact them or where messages disappear. These platforms can be misused and make it difficult to monitor interactions. It is safer to delay access to such apps until you feel that your child is mature enough to understand the risks and handle them responsibly.
SAFE DEVICE SETUP: A CRUCIAL FIRST STEP
Gmail email account to get your phone activated: When giving your child their first smartphone or tablet, parents should take control of the initial setup, by creating the child’s email (Gmail ID) yourself through your account, link it to the parent’s email as a recovery account, and enable security alerts. This ensures monitoring of unusual activity and prevents unauthorised account change.
Use of Antivirus and Security Tools: Mobile devices are essentially small computers and must be protected accordingly. Installing reliable mobile security or antivirus applications can help in detecting harmful apps or malware, block unsafe websites, monitor screen time, and provide parental controls However, these tools should support—NOT REPLACE—active parental involvement.
TIPS FOR PARENTS TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE ONLINE
Parents can reduce online risks for their children by following some simple and practical steps:
Keep Devices in Common Areas: Ask your children to use phones, tablets, or computers in shared spaces like the living room. This helps you casually keep an eye on what they are doing and reduces risky behaviour.
Limit Late-Night Phone Use: Many unsafe conversations happen late at night. Set a rule that phones should not be used in the bedroom, especially at night.
Teach Children About Online Strangers: Explain clearly to your children that, people online may not be who they say they are, strangers may pretend to be friendly or of the same age, anyone asking for photos, secrets, or private chats is a warning sign.
Be Careful About Sharing Information and Photos: Teach your children to think carefully before sharing anything online. They should never post personal details such as their school’s name, home address, daily routine, or location. In a small place like Goa, such information can make it easy for strangers to identify and approach them. Children should also understand that photos shared online are not always safe. Once a photo is sent, it can be saved or misused, and even if it “disappears,” someone can still take a screenshot. A simple rule to follow is: if it is private, do not share it online.
Encourage Open Communication: Make sure your child feels comfortable talking to you. Tell them they can come to you if something online makes them uncomfortable, they will not be punished for sharing their concerns. Children often hide things out of fear, so building trust is very important.
If your child has come across pornography online: It is important to stay calm and not react with anger, as this may discourage them from sharing concerns in the future. Gently ask how they found the content, where it happened, and how it made them feel so you can better understand and respond appropriately. You must report such online contents on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov) or call the helpline 1930 if necessary. The most important thing is to keep communication open so your child feels safe approaching you again.
As technology continues to evolve and become an integral part of our children’s lives, it is our responsibility as parents and guardians to stay vigilant and proactive. By fostering open communication, establishing clear boundaries, and remaining informed about online risks, we can help our children navigate the digital world safely. A combination of awareness, guidance and involvement will empower children to enjoy the benefits of technology while staying protected from its dangers. The greatest safeguard for our children is a parent who is present, attentive, and engaged in their digital journey.
Adv. Emidio A Desouza Pinho