Stay safe online
New Straits Times (20 March 2011) THE Internet can be a dangerous place for young people.
Unsuspecting children and young adults often fall prey to online fraud and threats. Microsoft Malaysia and CyberSecurity Malaysia recently launched Safer Internet Month, which runs until April 10 to keep youth from becoming victims of Internet crimes. Themed Stop. Think. Connect, the campaign underlines the importance of being aware of online threats. Although the programme targets youth, security is a source of worry even for the most sophisticated and professional users, says Microsoft Malaysia managing director Ananth Lazarus. Safer Internet Month aims to address these issues, deliver suggestions and prescriptive guidance on safeguarding the online experience. "We believe it's our joint responsibility to help make the Internet a safer place for people, especially children, to learn and communicate," Lazarus adds. The public may traditionally impart notions of safety in their daily lives but the wisdom may not necessarily extend to providing guidance in protecting oneself online-where all of today's technological potentials offer both good and harm. "We are committed to ensuring that children know the value of identity protection and online privacy, recognise the wonderful opportunities the Internet brings and the potential threats it could have," he says. The campaign is inspired by Safer Internet Day, which is a part of a global movement for all, especially the young. Organised by Insafe and co-founded by the European Union, Safer Internet Day hosts a series of events and educational materials aimed at helping parents and children to recognise online security threats. Last year, more than 500 Safer Internet Day events were held in 65 countries and regions. Globally, volunteers assist in hosting a range of Internet safety-focused events and activities. The campaign in Malaysia is timely as Internet use here has grown at a staggering rate over the past decade, particularly with the surge of social media and networking adoption. Malaysia is ranked seventh in Asia with 9.4 million Internet users.
Its people are Asia's 12th most connected community, which spends an average of 14.1 hours on the Internet per user. In its effort to educate Malaysians on the positive use of the Internet, CyberSecurity Malaysia developed the Cyber999 Help Centre for Internet users to channel their cyber security complaints, get safety tips and specialised services in cyber security. Chief executive officer Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Husin Jazri says: "We continuously study, analyse, research and innovate to stay ahead and maintain a technological edge." The public can expect activities such as cyber safety awareness talks in schools in the Klang Valley and seminars for parents and teachers. "We will also organise online contents such as CyberSAFE, Cyber Treasure Hunt and CyberSAFE Content competition, where we get participants to tell us what they know about cyber safety through digital content such as posters, wallpapers, videos and others," adds Husin. Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry deputy secretary-general (policy) Datuk Dr Sharifah Zarah Syed Ahmad lauds the campaign's aim to empower Malaysians with knowledge to protect their businesses, property and families. "It's good that private organisations are taking steps to increase the level of awareness among our citizens, especially schoolchildren, to help them use the Internet positively," she says. |
