The imperative to ensure our children are safe online

LAST year, a nationwide survey in Malaysia found that one in four of all schoolchildren had been bullied through the Internet, while nearly three in every four kids taking part in the survey said that they had been called names or received improper messages or inappropriate photos while online. Meanwhile, data from the Boston Consulting Group on Internet use among children in thirteen countries show that 8 per cent may have unknowingly subscribed to commercial services, one in 10 has potentially been subject to personal data misuse, and one in five potentially exposed to harmful content.

The Internet has had an undeniably profound positive impact in Asia, and will continue to do so as the expansion of infrastructure sees a digital future for all emerge in this region. From financial inclusion to access to knowledge, better health and resources, the Internet has been instrumental in empowering Asian populations that include some of the world's poorest and most disadvantaged people.

At the same time, cyberspace undoubtedly presents a double-edged sword. Risks abound online, many of them particularly menacing to the most vulnerable among us, namely children. These include cyberbullying, identity theft and fraud, danger from online predators, and exposure to pornography or other inappropriate images.