Let's Think They are Safe Online!: An Asian Perspective on the Classification of Children's Cyber Risks

Abstract

Children nowadays spend a substantial amount of time on the Internet and related technology. They are devoting more time to recreational activities such as socializing virtually and playing video games. Scholars are divided on whether they are benefiting from the situation or putting themselves in risk by participating in it. Although Malaysian parents are concerned about the dangers their children may encounter online, most threats remain unknown. Children are still reluctant to inform their families about their online exposure to inappropriate content such as cybersex and pornography, which are still taboo subjects in Malaysian households. To determine the risk factors associated with children's online use, a descriptive analysis is carried out. A total of 420 school-going children aged 9 to 16 around Selangor were recruited. During the previous 12 months that they interacted with the Internet, the study found that children were highly exposed to unwanted exposure to pornography (17.4 %), potentially dangerous user-generated content (9 %), sexting (8.8 %), personal data misuse (6.4 %), cyber grooming (3.3 %), and cyberbullying (1.7 % ).