Increasing number of children are believed to be misusing internet, often using unsafe websites for entertainment mostly enjoying at homes.
Experts, who observed the negative impact of such socially damaging so called, ‘entertainment’ on the internet, strongly suggest installing parental control web-based applications to control use of the internet by adolescents.
When contacted, Mohammad Rezaul Maksud Jahedi, Additional Director General (Joint Secretary) of the Department of ICT told Bangladesh Post, “We have already launched some projects to address this problem.”
Jahedi said, “One of this initiative is launching training programmes for school students to engage themselves in learning activities instead of spending time at home. This has started at Sheikh Russel Digital Lab, a secondary level project. We will arrange several kinds of training sessions, several kinds of contest programmes and will make digital educational content for students.”
He said that another such programme is - ‘School of Future’, and it will be launched in each upazilas. There will be 3d printers, robotics corner, smart panel and many activities related to digital technology.
Asked whether they took any initiative to develop any parental control tool to limit use of internet websites, the officials suggest contacting with government’s A2i division as they usually work on such software development issues.
M Zahidur Rahman, Professor at Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) of Jahangirnagar University told Bangladesh Post, “We should have some sort of control mechanism to limit access to internet for our children.”
He also suggests forming a censor boad, which will able to censor all kinds of online content like film industries, including aggressive games, and urge all who work with information and communication software and technology, to make Bangladeshi culture-friendly content for its citizen.
Salahuddin Khan Noyeem, General Secretary of Savar Nagorik Committee told Bangladesh Post, “We are highly concerned about misuse of internet facilities by adolescents. It’s hampering the mental development of our children as well.”
