Vodafone official sheds light on safe technology for children

Dana Haidan, head of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability at Vodafone Qatar, made the statement while addressing students and faculty at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar on the role of CSR in bringing about real transformational change in countries across the globe.

Shedding light on safe technology for children and youth and digital parenting, and speaking about Vodafone’s AmanTECH programme, Haidan said: “When PCs were the only or main portal to the Internet at home, it was easier for parents to monitor the time their children spent online, as well as what they looked at. Even so, only a third of households with Internet access currently protect their children with filtering or blocking software. As the digital world becomes ever more portable, it is becoming harder for parents to know what their children are up to online.

“And while the mobile Internet is empowering for children, satisfying their innate sense of curiosity and instinct to communicate, and giving them more digital independence, parents want to ensure their kids don’t look at unsuitable material, share inappropriate information or run up big bills. Nearly half of Qatari children aged 8-15 years own a smartphone, and 72% of children aged 9-16 years have a social network profile. The average Qatari 9-16-year-old spends a minimum of three hours per day on the Net.”

Haidan discussed the barriers that prevented many people around the world from reaping the benefits of the mobile and data revolution and explored the reasons why they were currently finding themselves excluded, and how Vodafone was working to reverse this. She also shared examples of Vodafone’s social investment projects that were making a difference around the world.

“Vodafone is working to make the benefits of mobile available to everybody. The technology and services that Vodafone delivers are designed to give businesses and individuals access to opportunities. By working collaboratively with governments, industry bodies, NGOs, aid agencies and regulators, we can increase their availability, and so truly democratise the mobile Internet, enabling millions more people to connect,” said Haidan.

Haidan showcased how the digital divide takes shape across genders, demographics, geographic contexts and human capabilities: “In the developed world as a whole, mobile penetration is close to 100%. In the developing world, however, it is calculated at just 70%. In the least developed markets, only 34% of people have a mobile phone.

“In some parts of the world, women are especially excluded from the mobile revolution: it is estimated that 300mn fewer women than men in emerging markets have a mobile phone. These women are deprived of opportunities for economic and social independence.

“And, of course, older people represent a growing share of the global population: Middle Eastern people aged 65-74 years are more than four times more likely than younger citizens to have never used the Internet. Even for those with access to devices and to connectivity, there can be physical barriers. Elderly people can have difficulty using standard devices and mass market applications, as can many of the 1bn people who live with disabilities.” (Sources: Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, ITU, UN, OECD, WHO, World Bank, Unicef, Census, The Economic Times).