Protecting Children in the Era of Viral Content

The recent death of two kindergarten and elementary school students in East Lombok, who suffered neck injuries while imitating a viral ‘freestyle’ action, has highlighted the urgent need to protect children in the digital age. The children’s curiosity, driven by a natural desire for peer validation, led them to replicate dangerous acts from online media and games without understanding the fatal risks.

This tragedy has prompted calls from various parties, including the police, schools, education authorities, and child psychologists, for parents to more closely supervise their children’s use of mobile phones, social media, and viewing habits. While a child’s desire to explore and gain recognition is natural, their reasoning is not yet fully developed, making them vulnerable to harmful content. Parental guidance is therefore the first and most critical line of defence, but it cannot be the only one. The community environment serves as a second layer of supervision, ensuring children are not left to navigate the world without oversight.

However, the most crucial role lies with the state, which holds the authority to restrict access to dangerous and negative online content. Without firm state intervention, parental and community efforts remain ineffective. An ideal system, as envisioned in Islamic governance, places a comprehensive responsibility on three pillars: parents, the community, and the state. The state is obligated to strictly limit harmful information and promote beneficial, educational content based on faith, thereby fostering a brilliant civilisation and preventing the viral spread of life-threatening material.