The Nigerian Communications Commission joined the rest of the world to celebrate the World Safer Internet day with the slogan: “Create, Connect and Share Respect: A better Internet starts with you”.
Safer Internet Day is celebrated globally in February each year to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people and inspire a discourse to help educate participants of the virtues and vices of the Internet.
The event organized by Centre for Cyber Security Awareness and Development (CECAD) in collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Nigeria Internet Registration Agency (NIRA) as well as other relevant stakeholders of the industry held at NIRA Office No 8. Funso William Avenue, Iponri, Surulere, Lagos.
Professor Umar Garba Danbatta while delivering the Keynote address through Haru Alhassan, Director New Media and Information Security at NCC stated that the Internet is the most powerful force of the 21st century with boundless opportunities but still pose potential risks to users. Alhassan further stated that the Internet has globalized the world with its disruptive capacity and has dramatically evolved our lives into the Es-(electronics) from e-banking, e-business, e-learning, e-commerce, e- medicine and so forth thereby transforming how we live. However, these virtues of the Internet have come with vices known as cybercrime which call for cybersecurity or policing and for users to adopt precautionary measures.
The event featured presentations by experts on Internet from divergent perspectives such the Internet itself, cybercrime, cybersecurity, cyber hygiene, ethical use of social media, social media use and its legal implications, hate speeches, insightful posts, privacy and private use of private settings to limit accessibility to our world of social media by others.
Participants were also educated on how to reduce the risks of becoming victims of the cyberspace and cybercriminals and dangers associated with the negligent use of the social media network. Participants were advised to provide minimal information regarding themselves and avoid the use of free WiFi and visit sites that are securely encrypted with the http encryption.
Apart from the presentations made, a debate was held between secondary school students of Grace High School, Gbagada, Princeton College Surulere and Toklak Group of Schools on a debatable topic whether: the mobile phone is a distraction to learning, to test the understanding of the students knowledge on the topic of the day.
As usual the event ended with a participant session where question and answer session was entertained and participants asked meaningful questions and made insightful contributions regarding the future of the Internet and uses of social media and emerging applications.