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TMCNet: Mobile Phone a Big Threat to Children

[November 24, 2009]

Mobile Phone a Big Threat to Children

Nairobi, Nov 24, 2009 (The Nation/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- The television set you frequently discourage your children from watching may not be their greatest threat.

The mobile phone has become unrivalled in introducing children to cyberspace, posing a risk to their safety, a lobby group said on Tuesday.

According to The Cradle, a non-profit NGO that protects child rights, unmonitored use of technology is exposing youngsters to harm.

Preliminary findings of a study in Nairobi involving over 400 children aged between 12 and 18, show the most popular gadget to access networking sites like Facebook and Twitter was the mobile phone.

"Only 24 per cent of children reported online or cell phone harassment," Cradle programme manager Brian Weke said in Nairobi on Tuesday.

The study also revealed that 77 of the 96 people who received reports took no action.

Only one cyber cafe of 20 sampled displayed warnings on pornographic materials.

"Children reveal personal information and interact with persons of all ages worldwide, making them easy targets to predators," Mr Weke warned.


Nominated MP Millie Odhiambo said the trend was worrying.

"A child can pretend he is playing games on his phone yet a 64-year-old is grooming him or her for sexual abuse," Ms Odhiambo said.

Cradle said the scope of the danger is unknown due to lack of statistics as ICT is new in the country and its effects are yet to be extensively analysed.

However, over 3,000 schools in Kenya have access to the internet while the Communications Commission of Kenya had estimated the number of internet users at 3.5 million.

Cradle, in collaboration with others, will host a national conference next week to discuss the risks and dangers of ICT and how children can be protected.

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