Kathmandu: ChildSafeNet has initiated a partnership with TikTok to enhance digital safety for children and young people. In the first phase of the collaboration, training programs on digital safety will be conducted for children, parents, and teachers in Bagmati, Gandaki, and Koshi provinces.

As part of this initiative, ChildSafeNet recently organized a digital safety workshop for children and youth. The workshop, held on November 22 in Lalitpur, brought together over 40 participants from 20 schools and colleges. It provided a platform to share experiences related to digital technology, discuss its positive uses, and address challenges in the digital space.

The interactive workshop employed child- and youth-friendly methods, enabling participants to discuss topics such as cyberbullying, hate speech, misinformation/disinformation, online grooming, and harmful content (including sexual and violent material). Attendees also learned strategies to protect themselves from online threats like sextortion, romance scams, and child sexual exploitation.

ChildSafeNet founder and president, Anil Raghuvanshi, conducted an interactive session on the relationship between youth and digital technology. Participants were educated on responsible use of digital devices, as well as TikTok and other social media platforms’ community guidelines and safety measures.

A key highlight of the program was a panel discussion featuring popular digital content creators, including Miss Nepal World 2023 Shrinkhala Khatiwada, fashion designer and content creator Prakram Rana, and actor/dancer Angel Rai. They shared insights into their digital journeys, experiences with toxic comments, and strategies for overcoming such challenges.

Participants offered valuable recommendations for improving digital safety for children and youth. They emphasized the need for collaboration among government bodies, lawmakers, law enforcement agencies, schools, colleges, digital platforms, businesses, social organizations, parents, and young people. Suggestions included strengthening legal frameworks, raising nationwide awareness of digital safety, and increasing investments from governments, technology companies, and educational institutions.