IGF 2023 WS #548 Protecting Children Online by Providing SNS Counseling

Subtheme

Organizer 1: Shino UENUMA, South Toranomon Law Offices
Organizer 2: Takashi Shimose, Daini Tokyo Bar Association
Organizer 3: Maki Suzuki, Daini Tokyo Bar Association

Speaker 1: Shino UENUMA, Private Sector, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 2: Takashi Shimose, Private Sector, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 3: Maki Suzuki, Private Sector, Asia-Pacific Group

Moderator

Maki Suzuki, Private Sector, Asia-Pacific Group

Online Moderator

Ai Nemoto, Private Sector, Asia-Pacific Group

Rapporteur

Shino UENUMA, Private Sector, Asia-Pacific Group

Format

Tutorial - 30 Min

Policy Question(s)

A. How can internet-related organizations make children know about the place they can safely talk about their worries online?
B. What can governmental or non governmental organizations do for children to learn how not to be involved in online conduct risks?

What will participants gain from attending this session? 1. To know the present tendency of issues children may face online.
2. To understand the importance on how to assist children to determine who is reliable persons for them to talk online.
3. To obtain insight on how to encourage children not to be involved in conduct risks

Description:

Daini Tokyo Bar Association has provided SNS counseling for children as pro bono activities for regular basis. The purpose of this session to discuss about how to protect children on line based on our SNS counseling experience. OECD’s Children in the Digital Environment in 2021 shows the revised typology of risks, including contact risks and conduct risks. Our activities can help children not being exposed to contact risks and ourselves learning about their conduct risks.
Communicating with other persons online is very easy on Internet, even for children. It is good experience for them to make communication throughout the world; however, not all persons are good. Vulnerable children can be victims by communicating with bad persons, including by cybergrooming because juveniles want to talk about their worry and to be paid attention to. One of the means to protect children from being victims from cybergrooming is that reliable persons’ providing such children an opportunity to talk about their emotional feelings. Bar Associations can be organizations children may consider reliable.
Through SNS counseling, we have learned very much about what difficulties children may have now, including their possible conduct risks. One of typical issues is sexting or posting sexual selfies online. We can also discuss about how to prevent children from doing such problematic conducts.

Expected Outcomes

The expected outcome is to gain insight on effective way to invite children safe place online.
A specific output is to hold a follow-up event to share the outcome.

Hybrid Format: We will use visual presentations which can be available to online participants.
Through ZOOM or other web-meeting tools, we will effectively communicate both online and offline participants, with Slido or other Q&A tools.