Keep your chats exactly that! New campaign raises awareness on ICT safety for girls
Johannesburg, South Africa, May 5
“Keep your chats exactly that!” is a youth campaign run by Girls’Net, a daughter project of Women’sNet, to raise awareness among young people about the safe use of mobile phones, chats, and other social networking tools.
When Girls’Net visited schools in South Africa they found examples of bullying, sexual harassment and pornography through the use of information and communication technologies (ICT). Learners reported viewing pornography from family/ friends/ relatives’ phones or their own, and via the internet. They talked about sharing pictures of themselves in the nude with their friends. At the same time, young people reported constant bullying, stalking and harassment while using cell phones.
Girls’Net carried out focus groups to investigate the use of social networks. Girls reported withdrawing from mobile social networks because of sexual harassment.
The “Keep your chats exactly that!” campaign aims to empower young people to prevent them from becoming victims of harassment, bullying and violence when using the internet and cell phones. Girls’Net hopes the campaign will help youth take a step further towards positive, proactive use of these tools to advocate for change on issues of concern to them.
To launch the campaign on 15 May, Girls’Net plans a community discussion to explore dangers and safety in cellphone social networks, South African ICT regulations for mobile phones and the internet, and to debate the question: does gender matter in cyberspace?
Visit Girls’Net for more information.
About Girls’Net:
Girls’Net (http://www.womensnet.org.za/girlsnet) is a South African social and multi- media programme that gets girls involved in the use of ICTs for their own development. Girls’Net recognizes the significance of ICTs in the lives of girls and in their potential for development. It supports capacity building, enagement and social activities to enable girls to harness the safe use of ICTs to realise their potential. Girls’Net is a project of Women’sNet.
Source: Women'sNet
