This book aims to teach children about their rights and safety online. It contains six scenarios children often face in relation to the digital environment:
- Right to play online
- Managing screen time
- Exposure to inappropriate content
- Right to use digital media to learn
- Privacy
- Adult role modelling of positive use of digital media
Each scenario provides your child with a question and two possible answers. Reading the book with your child creates an opportunity to talk with them about being online. You can find the correct answer for each scenario at the back of this book.
As you read the book, we encourage you to talk openly with your child about what they see and do online. We also encourage you to reassure your child that they can talk to you anytime about things which happen online and that no matter what they say, they won’t get into trouble.
This book was designed for children under 9 years old. ITU also has resources on rights and safety online for older children and for children who are ready to learn more: www.itu.int/cop
Download the Storybook Online with Sango
Meet Sango
Hey! I am Sangophone. I was created by an energetic and motivated group of children. I am here to support you with some tips while you are using your computers, phones, tablets, consoles and any other online device you might have. You should feel empowered to exercise your rights online!
Remember: the Internet is a beautiful opportunity for you to learn and thrive but you need to know a few things first and be aware of your rights to fully enjoy your activities. I am here to help
Read my story...
Hello, my name is Sangophone and I am a Japanese phone. I live in Tokyo in a family of three children – brothers Kiko, who is 4, and Yoko, who is 10, and their big sister Kim, who is 15. As my use exposes them to all kinds of dangers, I decided to be a revolutionary phone that alerts them and helps them fight against the dangers of the internet. And, believe me, I have my work cut out for me every day!
There are many different dangers, depending on the age of the children. For example, Kiko watches videos on unsafe web pages, Yoko plays violent games that do not correspond to his age, and Kim shares photos of herself on social media…
So I thought of several ways to warn them about the risks and protect them from bad online habits. For example, as soon as I am in little Kiko’s hands, I activate the parental control to block all sites that could potentially be unsuitable for his age. I also set my timer to go off after 15 minutes, because too much time online isn’t a good idea.
When 8-year old Yoko plays online games, I allow access to only those that are age-appropriate, so that he is not confronted by shocking, or even traumatic images. I also ensure Yoko uses pre-registered IDs that do not give any information about his real identity, and I display an alert message that reminds him to always be wary of the people he plays with online, because one cannot be certain of their true identity. Finally, when his connection lasts too long, I don’t hesitate to put myself on standby to remind him that it would be nice to go out and play with his real friends.
As for Kim, I make sure she takes more care on social media platforms. In fact, she could have been a victim of cyber-bullying had I not immediately blocked the photo that one of her classmates had sent of a donkey with glasses, captioned with the phrase “Here is Kim the nerd”.
Finally, for all three children, I put my at-sign headband on my camera to prevent any intrusion into their private life and that of their family! This is how I fight to help my little protégés!
Source ITU/COP