SIDGHANA2018: Stakeholders encouraged to ensure proper use of the internet

Safer Internet Day (SID), a day set aside to educate patrons on internet ethics and on how to assure safety on the web, was today in Ghana and worldwide.

During a program in Accra to brief stakeholders on do’s and don’ts of the internet and its related technologies, Patrons, especially children who are exposed to the internet at an early age, were encouraged to be security conscious when surfing the internet.

Organizer of the program and Executive Director for J Initiative (JI) mentioned that the need for SID to be religiously observed in Ghana was to primarily stop the rapid growth of fraudulent activities on the internet.

“Ghana needs this. Ghana is not left out of internet deployment. Ghana is part of the global world now. And internet we are told, knows no barriers, so for us, once we are part of the global world, we can’t say we don’t need this,” she said.

She added that “we are looking at a system which will be conducive for the safety of children and young people. We wouldn’t have a situation where a revenge porn will be circulating online in the name of a stool challenge. We are also looking at a system where we could have a place where young people could easily reach and report cases of abuse online and see results. The ultimate vision is to see children and young people protected in Ghana."

After a wave of nude videos and pictures, allegedly leaked, were circulating our media terrain, the need to address causes of these abuse of mobile devices and internet dexterity has become a matter of national concern.

Based on this development and other pressing factors, SIDGHANA this year under the theme, ‘Create, connect and share respect’ extensively discussed how best individuals and the nation as a whole could work hand in hand to ensure a safe environment for internet activity.

The program which saw a panel discussion had most of the panelist’s channel their concerns towards the rate at which children are often preyed upon on the internet leading to abduction, child pornography, and the others.



The internet since its introduction has undoubtedly contributed in making the once seeming big world a global village. It has however gifted its patrons with the responsibility of securing data and facilitating their privacy.

Product Development Manager for GCNet, Carl Sackey advised parents to be more attentive to the content their children are exposed to on the internet, saying even though it almost impossible to be with the 24 hours a day, it is essential to a child’s mental growth if parents are involved in contents they have access to .

“I am a parent and I am very interested in what my children do. As parents, it is very easy for us to guide children when we see what they are doing. But when they are on devices most parents assume that the children are doing something intelligent. From where I sit as a security practitioner I think that is one of the most important things we need to start looking at,” he said.

“Let us not forget that, when our children are on devices, and many parents think that it is okay to buy these things for their children. I am one of those advocates who think it is important to help our children to be tech savvy but it our responsibility to also look at the kind of content they watch on these things,” he explained.

Director in charge of the Cyber Crime Unit of the Ghana Police Service, Chief Superintendent Dr. Herbert Gustave Yankson said criminals were active on the internet space as they are around us, scouting for ‘gullible’ people to exploit.

“Currently the issue is that our society has evolved. We are connecting almost everything and in so doing we are getting closer and becoming a global village. We have opportunities, the criminals also have opportunities and they are also looking for the same opportunities that you are looking for. There will always be criminals, they have always been there,” he noted.

He advised that patrons be, “circumspect about whatever we do online and remember that the police is always there with you.”

Safer Internet Day (SID) is organized by the joint Insafe/INHOPE network, with the support of the European Commission each February to promote the safe and positive use of the digital technology, especially among children and young people.