Doha, July 28 (QNA) – Speakers at the Qatar Friends Of The Environment Center’s (FEC) ‘Green Tent’ warned against the dangers of unsecured internet and the many problems it causes tor families, women, and children including blackmail as well as data and identity theft. They called for spreading awareness on reporting any breaches in this regard and intensifying knowledge about the topic, in addition to enacting strong laws to punish offenders and protect the society as a whole.
During the evening, FEC Founder and Chair Saif Ali Al-Hajari stressed the importance of the issue explaining that it is not only present in Qatar, but is rather a global concern.
However, he referred to the communication-related dimension of the topic and its benefits in terms of linking civilizations.
The State of Qatar has set up organizations dealing with this matter, all constantly seeking to achieve the best practices in the field while staying abreast with local developments, Al-Hajari remarked, calling for the formulation of surveys for the purposes of research.
Efforts to combat the dangers of the internet should be unified in participation of concerned bodies, schools, parents, and mosques in pursuit of practical solutions in line with society’s traditions, he noted.
Al-Hajari pointed out that schools could add unique programs for children to exercise activities in fields other than the internet, highlighting that the Qatar Foundation for the Protection of Women and Children could conduct valuable research in this field and expressing the FEC’s support.
Ehab Al-Sakka, Systems Analyst at the Qatar Foundation for the Protection of Women and Children and member of Qatar’s National Committee for Internet Safety (NCIS), spoke about the Foundation’s role and vision regarding the abuse of women and children, and internet safety.
The civil society Foundation abides by the Shari’a law, Qatar’s constitution, in addition to Arab and international covenants ratified by Qatar, he said. Among the pillars of its vision is a violence-free society and other factors seeking a positive environment for women and children’s protection through secretive and honest practices, Al-Sakka indicated.
The Foundation adopted the issue of the internet after tracking many problems, he said. Mainly, internet problems revolve around harmful content, electronic trafficking, and anonymous communication through social media websites, Al-Sakka added. He called for the avoidance of leaving children to use the internet alone in secluded rooms.
On the same topic, he shed the light on other dangers including false advertisements, scams, and credit card theft operations. There are some professional bodies which lure victims into facilitating their entry to unlicensed sites, only to later sue them over copyrights then move towards blackmail, Al-Sakka added.
Legal dangers also include hostility, blasphemy, and rumor dissemination, he explained remarking on the laws applied by many countries including the State of Qatar over internet usage and punishing offenders, warning that stealing e-mail passwords is considered to be a crime punishable by law.
The Qatar Foundation for the Protection of Women and Children held awareness campaigns with the NCIS in schools and mosques, in addition to workshops on all levels in partnership with concerned parties and ministries.
Presenting some solutions to unsecured internet problems, Al-Sakka called for raising awareness in society and among family members over the issue and reporting any harassment for assistance by specialized State bodies.
The Foundation had a successful experience through the ‘Child Protection Club’, he said adding that along with the NCIS they aim to cooperate with other organizations in addition to partnering with the concerned department at Qatar’s Ministry of Interior and the Supreme Council of Information and Communication (ictQatar) by implementing firewalls and anti-viruses, and similarly with Qatar Telecom (Q-tel), which monitors websites by opening useful ones for users and blocking others.
Al-Sakka highlighted the role of parents, schools, and service providers in supervision to prevent negative effects on society. (QNA)
