GISPA Statement on Cybercrime and Child Protection Online

GISPA Statement on Cybercrime and Child Protection Online

“The global community (has) no excuse for saying that ‘we didn’t know’ or ‘we couldn’t foresee’ the exponentially increasing violence caused to children in relation to new information and communication technologies”. Professor Paulo Pinheiro, leader of a UN study on violence against children

The Ghana Internet Services Providers Association (GISPA) wishes to support the government’s effort to curb Sakawa and protect children in cyberspace and advise all well meaning Ghanaians to pay attention to the dangers of the Internet to children. The Internet is a neutral tool for disseminating data, which can be used for good or for bad. On the one hand, for example, it has enormous potential as a source of education for people of all ages and capacities. The Internet can be used to set online traps to exploit users for criminal purposes like Sakawa. Children can also be vulnerable to mischievous adults on the Internet hence must be protected.

The Internet like a road can be used for good purposes or abused. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provide access to the Internet and are not necessarily responsible for what individuals and corporates do on it. However GISPA members through the African ISP Association (AfrISPA) has being working with the ITU on guidelines for “Child Protection Online”

There are guidelines for industry, policymakers, parents, guardians, educators and the children themselves. Our members are adhering to these guidelines and we urge the other stakeholders to do same, as this is a collective effort.
For concerned parents using Windows Internet Explorer (IE) for browsing on the Internet, there is HELP.  First, ensure that you have IE version 6 or later on your computer.  Open the IE and click About Internet Explorer.  Check if the version is 6.xxx or later.  Open IE’s Internet Options menu under Tools.  Choose the Content tab and click on the Enable button.  Turn on “CONTENT ADVISOR”.  Select filter settings to activiate controls on Language, Nudity, Sex, Violence, etc.  You can end by creating a Password to ensure that your child does not alter your Content Advisor settings.

On Cybercrime, aka Sakawa, GISPA has in the past co-operated with the CID in apprehending perpetrators. We applaud the work of the previous parliament in passing the Electronic Transactions and Electronic Communications Acts of 2008, which outlaw Cybercrime and Child Pornography. We commit our continued support to the government and law enforcement agencies in dealing with Sakawa. We are guided in part by a recent report by the ITU

GISPA members have committed to protecting our networks from such attacks but cannot do much in individual homes. We ask that parents take every necessary action to make sure their children are accessing the right websites, chatting with the right persons and making the right connections on the Internet. Having said this, the Internet is an extraordinary tool that offers a wide range of opportunities for children to learn. Your children will be left behind if they do not use them but they can be corrupted by it as well.

GISPA’s advice to all Ghanaians – parents, educators and government - is to be RESPONSIBLE and MONITOR and if possible MODERATE the type of CONTENT their children access. Our members and software companies are developing voluntary codes of conduct to prevent abuse, and to make available inexpensive software to block pornography from computers. The law enforcement agencies must also enforce the laws and legislative provisions in the electronic communications and transactions acts.

The Ghana Internet Services Providers Association (GISPA, www.gispa.org.gh) is a non-profit trade corporation that represents the interest of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and those interested in the provision of Internet service in Ghana. The focus is to grow the Internet locally through lobbying for the right policies, negotiating transparent and independent regulatory frameworks and building networks to enhance easy, reliable and affordable communication to the consumer. GISPA is currently made up of Internet Ghana, AfricaOnline, IDN, Tin-Ifa, BusyInternet, Netplux, K-Net, Broadband Home, Easy-Net, Ecoband, NetAfrique, Gateway Communications, DiscoveryTel, Africanus, TeledataICT, ComsysGhana, iBurstAfrica, Internet Solutions, UCOM, Golden Beach Hotels, NCS and Tandem Networks.

Contact: GISPA Secretary; Eric M.K Osiakwan secretary(at)gispa.org.gh, +233.21.258800 ext 7031