As Nigerians celebrate this year’s Children’s Day, a prominent advocate for internet safety and Executive Chairman, Stay Safe Online Academy Limited, Rotimi Onadipe, has warned children about the negative impact of smartphone, describing it as a tool that could destroy their career and future plans if they were not educated about how to use it safely and responsibly.
In his speech on this year’s Children’s Day Celebration, Onadipe explained the dangerous impact that smartphone could have on children.
He said: “Dear children, I want to inform you today that smartphone is a big distraction that can have negative impact on almost every aspect of your life if you are not very careful. Please don’t be desperate to get a smartphone.”
“Don’t allow your love for smartphone and online activities to have negative impact on your career and future plans.”
“It is not wrong for you to use a smartphone if the need arises, but it becomes a wrong thing when you are not using it safely and responsibly. In other words. it is very important for you to be educated about safe and responsible use of internet before you start using a smartphone.
“As children, you must be informed that the same internet space that gives you access to educative content can also expose you to harmful, inappropriate content and other online dangers such as pornographic websites, malicious apps, misleading information, hate-speech, scary videos, cyberbullying, online predators, among others.”
“How can you escape these dangers if you are not well informed about how to avoid them and stay safe when you are on the internet?” Onadipe questioned.
“Irrespective of your age, ensure you are educated about how to use the internet safely and responsibly before you start using a smartphone. Also, if you are already using smartphone, you need to keep educating yourselves about safe and responsible use of the internet in order to avoid the dangers associated with its usage,” he advised.
Onadipe reaffirmed his commitment to promoting online safety education among children. He encouraged parents to enroll their children for online safety education at Stay Safe Online Academy Limited, assuring them that proper education about online safety would be given to them by experts.
“We are committed to providing actionable tips, practical advice, and masterclass on how internet users can keep themselves safe from online dangers,” he stated.
In his final statement, Onadipe stressed the need for children to make God the foundation of their life and live a godly life.
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