Navigating the Digital Labyrinth: Safeguarding Children Online

Assam DGP Harmeet Singh stresses the importance of parents guiding children through the digital world. Highlighting risks such as web addiction and online recruitment by militants, he advises parents on monitoring without intruding, to ensure responsible internet use.

Assam's top police official, DGP Harmeet Singh, has issued a clarion call to parents: engage with your children about the digital world. In a keynote address at a National Dialogue on Children's Rights on the Internet titled 'Infantia', Singh emphasized the critical need for parental involvement in navigating today's online challenges.

He noted the surge in internet use among children during the COVID-19 pandemic, stressing that while adults have resumed offline activities, youngsters remain heavily invested in their digital lives. This online engagement comes with risks, from internet addiction to potential recruitment by militant groups, Singh warned.

The DGP underscored the significance of 'sharenting'—parents sharing children's details online—and advocated for digital policies aimed at teaching children responsible internet use. Singh urged parents to monitor their children's online activities closely, without encroaching on their privacy, to foster open communication and encourage a balanced approach to technology.

(With inputs from agencies.)