Exposure to gadgets and digital content from an early age is\nconsidered to pose serious risks to children, particularly regarding\nthreats from online predators. Professor Rose Mini Agoes Salim, a\nprofessor at the Faculty of Psychology, University of Indonesia (UI),\nreminds that children are not yet psychologically prepared to face the\ncomplexities of the digital world.<\/p>\n
According to her, each stage of a child\u2019s age has different\nvulnerabilities. For ages 0\u20136 years, children are not yet able to seek\nappropriate stimulation or manage emotions. Meanwhile, for ages 7\u201312\nyears, children begin to be active in the online world but do not yet\nhave critical thinking skills and risk assessment.<\/p>\n
\u201cEntering ages 13\u201315 years, children\u2019s emotions have indeed developed\nmore strongly, but their self-control is not yet mature. This is the gap\noften exploited by online predators,\u201d said Prof.\u00a0Rose Mini on Thursday\n(26\/3).<\/p>\n
She explained that perpetrators usually approach children subtly and\nbuild closeness over a long time, so they are often not recognised as\nthreats. Warning signs to watch for include changes in the child\u2019s\nbehaviour becoming more withdrawn, often hiding gadget screens, unstable\nemotions, having a \u201cspecial online friend,\u201d and feeling scared when\nasked about digital activities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is not because the child is naughty. Psychologically, they are\nindeed not ready and unable to protect themselves in the digital space,\u201d\nshe emphasised.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, such behavioural changes are signals that the child is\nexperiencing inner conflict and difficulty understanding and expressing\nfeelings of insecurity.<\/p>\n
Prof.\u00a0Rose Mini stressed that prevention cannot be delayed. The role\nof parents and schools is very important in accompanying children. She\nsuggested that parents build safe communication, set consistent digital\nusage rules, and be sensitive to changes in children\u2019s behaviour.<\/p>\n
These protection efforts are also reinforced through government\npolicies, one of which is the Government Regulation on the Governance of\nElectronic Systems in Child Protection (PP Tunas).<\/p>\n
The regulation aims to protect children from various risks in the\ndigital space, from exposure to inappropriate content, digital\naddiction, exploitation, data misuse, to dangerous interactions with\nstrangers.<\/p>\n
\u201cChild protection in the digital world starts at home. Children who\nfeel safe will dare to tell stories, and that is the strongest\nprotection from digital threats, including online predators,\u201d she\nconcluded.<\/p>\n
With the increasing digital access among children, synergy between\nfamily, school, and state becomes the main key to creating a safe and\nhealthy digital space for the younger generation.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Paediatric Society (IDAI) reminds of the dangers of\nsocial media for children, from addiction to cyberbullying. Parents are\nasked to actively accompany digital usage.<\/p>\n
The biggest challenge does not lie in technical capabilities, but in\nthe willingness of platforms to comply and the accuracy of systems in\nthe local context.<\/p>\n
Amelia also highlighted crucial aspects that must be clarified, from\nage verification methods, involvement of third parties, personal data\nprotection, to complaint mechanisms and sanctions.<\/p>\n
Digital platforms must block accounts belonging to children under 16\nyears old; the first phase includes YouTube, TikTok, Facebook,\nInstagram, Threads, X (Twitter), Bigo Live, and Roblox.<\/p>\n
The government has officially restricted social media access for\nchildren under 16 starting 28 March 2026. This policy impacts around 70\nmillion children in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The development of the digital world must be balanced with adequate\nprotection systems for every citizen, including women and children, from\nthe threats that accompany it.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ui-psychologist-warns-of-digital-risks-to-children-1774540276", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }