Telco Calls for a Safer Online Experience for Children

Children will soon be the biggest beneficiaries of a seamless and safe online experience. This is as a result of a call on action by Safaricom.

Speaking during the annual Safer Internet Day, Sanda Ojiambo, Head of Corporate Responsibility at Safaricom said, “We see the internet as a resource that all children should have access to, safely. Ensuring the safety of young internet users means encouraging them, and their parents, to adopt what we’re calling the 4Rs: Respect, Responsibility, Reasoning and Resilience. In this way, they can tap into the opportunities provided by the internet, while at the same time learning how to identify and deal with the risks associated with being online including cyber bullying, radicalization and exposure to inappropriate content.

The Company has integrated the Children’s Rights and Business Principles into its operations, working closely with UNICEF, United Nations Global Compact and Save the Children to protect the rights of children within the community.

Through various partnerships, Safaricom has also drafted a Child Online Safety Policy, with the sole objective of helping consumers understand the rights of children online, create awareness on the various risks that children face while at the same time equipping parents, caregivers and guardians on online safety tips.