Enhancing Child Protection by Exploring the Safety Resources Offered by Social Media Platforms.

Social media platforms are increasingly recognizing the importance of child protection and safety. They have implemented various resources and features to create safer online environments for young users.

Our role:

At Eveminet, we are committed to creating awareness and building capacities for online safety while promoting the overall wellbeing of youth. In an increasingly digital world, our mission is to empower individuals, families, and communities with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the online landscape safely and confidently. With a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities presented by the digital age, we strive to foster a culture of responsible digital citizenship and create a positive and secure online environment for young individuals.

Our Approach:

At the core of our company's ethos is the belief that education and empowerment are key to promoting online safety and youth wellbeing. We provide comprehensive resources, workshops, and training programs that address various aspects of online safety, including cyberbullying, privacy protection, digital literacy, digital citizenship and healthy digital habits. Through interactive sessions, "Whiz Kids Africa" and "Jitume & Unplugged" which is a program that aims to teach adults how to "Disconnect to Reconnect" and engaging content, we aim to equip individuals with the necessary tools, skills and rescourses to make informed decisions, identify potential risks, and mitigate them effectively.

Creating Awareness:

We understand that awareness plays a pivotal role in ensuring online safety. Our team actively engages with schools, educational institutions, community organizations, and parents to raise awareness about the importance of digital safety and wellbeing. By delivering informative sessions, hosting webinars, and participating in relevant events, we strive to reach a wide audience and create a collective understanding of the challenges and solutions in the online realm.

Building Capacities:

We believe that building capacities is crucial for long-term online safety. Our tailored training programs cater to diverse audiences, including parents, educators, guardians, and young individuals themselves. By equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the digital landscape confidently, we empower them to promote a safe and positive online experience for themselves and those around them.

Collaboration and Partnerships:

At Eveminet, we recognize the importance of collaboration in achieving our goals. We actively seek partnerships with like-minded organisations, such as (Meta, Google, Tiktok, Kenya Scouts Association, Kenya Association of International Schools, Kenya Private Sector Alliance, Tspa Trust & Safety Professional Association, Communication Authority of Kenya,Kenya Film Classification Board) to mention a few, educational institutions like Riara University and Kabarak University, and industry leaders to enhance our reach and develop innovative solutions for online safety and youth wellbeing. By fostering collaborations, we can leverage collective expertise and resources to create a more impactful and sustainable impact in the digital space.

Here are some common resources offered by social media platforms:

1. Privacy Settings: Social media platforms provide privacy settings that allow users to control who can view their profile, posts, and personal information. These settings help users restrict access to their content and limit interactions with unknown individuals.

Examples of privacy settings commonly offered by social media platforms:

Facebook:

• Privacy Checkup: Allows users to review and adjust their privacy settings, including who can see their posts and personal information.
• Audience Selector: Enables users to choose who can see their posts (public, friends, custom lists, or specific individuals).
• Timeline and Tagging: Allows users to control who can post on their timeline and who can see posts they are tagged in.
• Blocking: Allows users to block specific individuals, preventing them from viewing their profile or contacting them.

Instagram:

• Private Account: Allows users to make their account private, meaning only approved followers can see their posts and profile information.
• Story Controls: Provides options to hide stories from specific individuals or restrict message replies.
• Comment Controls: Enables users to filter and block comments based on keywords, as well as restrict comments from specific users.
• Activity Status: Allows users to control whether their followers can see when they were last active on the platform.

Twitter:

• Protected Tweets: Enables users to make their tweets private, meaning only approved followers can view them.
• Tweet Privacy: Allows users to control who can reply to their tweets (everyone, only people they follow, or only people mentioned).
• Muted Words and Accounts: Allows users to mute specific words, phrases, or accounts to control the content they see in their timeline.
• Safety and Privacy Settings: Provides options to control privacy, including who can tag users in photos, send direct messages, or see location information.

TikTok:

• Privacy and Safety Settings: Allows users to set their account to private, controlling who can view their videos and send them messages.
• Comment Controls: Enables users to filter and control comments on their videos, including blocking specific users or disabling comments altogether.
• Duet and Stitch Controls: Provides options to control who can interact with the user's videos through duets and stitches.
• Private by default: For users under 16 years of age, they don't access Direct Messenger, Live coverage and are not Discoverable.

Discord:

• Server Privacy Settings: Allows users to set privacy levels for their servers, including public, private, or invite-only options.
• Message Privacy: Provides options to control who can direct message the user, including allowing messages from friends only or blocking specific users.
• Notification Privacy: Enables users to customize notification settings to control what types of notifications they receive.

Snapchat:

• Ghost Mode: Allows users to hide their location on the Snap Map, ensuring that only selected friends can see their real-time location.
• Story Privacy: Provides options to control who can view the user's Snapchat stories, including all friends, selected friends, or a custom list.
• Chat Settings: Allows users to specify who can send them snaps and messages, including everyone, friends, or specific individuals.

2. Reporting and Blocking: Platforms offer in-app reporting and blocking features to address inappropriate or harmful content, cyberbullying, harassment, or any other form of harm or abuse. Users can report such incidents, and the platform takes appropriate action to address the issue and protect the user. additionally, as a country we have The Kenya Computer Incident Response Team (Ke-CIRT/CC) which is a government entity responsible for managing and responding to cybersecurity incidents in Kenya. any individual can report through their App, email - [email protected] or Hotline numbers - +254-703-042700;?+254-730-172700

We have access to a national toll-free helpline dedicated to assisting children, which can be reached by dialing 116.

3. Content Moderation: Social media platforms employ content moderation mechanisms to identify and remove harmful or inappropriate content. They use automated systems and human moderators to review reported content and enforce community guidelines to maintain a safe environment.

4. Age Restrictions: All social media platforms have age restrictions in place to ensure that their services are used by individuals who meet the minimum age requirement currently placed at years13+.This helps in protecting younger users from potential risks associated with age-inappropriate content or interactions.

5. Safety Centers and Education: Social media platforms often have dedicated safety centers or educational resources that provide information, guidelines, and tips on online safety and digital citizenship. These resources help users, including parents and guardians, better understand the platform's safety features and promote safe online practices.

We highlight a few safety centers

• Facebook Safety Center
• Instagram Safety Center
• Twitter Safety Center
• Snapchat Safety Center
• TikTok Safety Center
• YouTube Safety Center

6. Parental Controls: Social media platforms offer parental control features, allowing parents to monitor and manage their child's online activities. These controls may include setting screen time limits, restricting access to certain features or content, and receiving activity reports.

• Facebook Parental Controls
• Instagram Parental Supervision
• Twitter Parental Consent and controls
• Snapchat Parental Controls
• TikTok Parental Control
• YouTube Parental Controls

These parental control features offered by these different social media platforms empower parents to supervise, manage and support their child's online activities and experiences. By setting screen time limits, restricting access to certain features or content, and receiving activity reports, parents can ensure a safer and more controlled online experience for their children.

It is important to note that the availability and effectiveness of these resources may vary across different social media platforms. Users are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the specific features and community guidelines provided by the platforms they use and stay updated on any new developments or enhancements in child protection and safety measures.

Eveminet offers a range of platforms to provide support, empowerment, and resources to children and those within their ecosystem, including parents, guardians, educators, and industry professionals. You can contact us through various channels:

• Phone: Reach us at +254 733392827.
• Email: Send your inquiries to [email protected].
• Website: Visit our website at https://www.eveminet.co.ke for more information and access to our services.

At Eveminet, we are dedicated to promoting online safety, digital literacy, and fostering a healthy digital environment for all. Feel free to reach out to us through any of the provided channels to learn more about how we can support you and your digital journey.