KUALA LUMPUR: Experts have called for cybersecurity awareness and sex education at an early age to protect children from the dangers of cyberspace, amid the increasing number of rape cases perpetrated by minors each year.
They stressed that the responsibility of safeguarding children in cyberspace requires efforts from parents, educators and policymakers.
Universiti Sains Malaysia's cybersecurity expert Associate Professor Dr Selvakumar Manickam said until technology advances sufficiently to address online protection for minor, the responsibility currently rests with parents and caretakers.
He said it was crucial for parents to regularly monitor their children's online activities, especially those aged 13 and below.
He said parents' actions should include implementing parental control software and settings on devices and internet browsers to filter and block inappropriate content.
"Despite internet service providers and relevant government agencies making considerable efforts to block access to illicit content, technology such as Virtual Private Networks (VPN) make it easy to bypass the restrictions put in place," he told the New Straits Times.
However, he said, achieving a comprehensive ban remains challenging due to such technological workarounds and privacy considerations.
He said parents should create separate and limited-access user accounts on shared devices to enhance parental control, adding that the ultimate solution lies in educating children about the risks associated with inappropriate online content and empowering them to recognise it.
Selvakumar was asked to comment on federal police Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain's statement earlier that police were concerned how easily children can access social media and pornography, warning it is leading to social problems.
He had said the number of rape cases perpetrated by minors was on the rise.
Speaking at the International Regulatory Conference 2024, Shuhaily said there was even a case of 9-year-olds raping a girl of the same age.
Meanwhile, child activist Roland Edward echoed Sivakumar, calling for sex education to be introduced into primary school curriculums from an early age.
He said it was important to educate children about personal boundaries and appropriate behaviour both online and offline to prevent cyber grooming and exploitation.
"Awareness shouldn't be taught only in schools, we need to educate and create awareness in communities, may it be in a in a church, temple or mosque.
"It shouldn't solely focus on sex; it could also cover situations such as someone taking you to shower, or if someone touches your private parts that is not a parent or a doctor," he said.
Edward said it was crucial to have some level of education as children were innocent and tended to trust people easily.
"If the school is not willing to talk about this issue, the children are just going to go online where they become vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation by individuals," he said.
He also suggested holding parents accountable for ensuring their children's online safety.
Referring to the lack of criminal liability in certain cases involving minors, Edward proposed measures to charge parents who fail to prioritise their children's cybersecurity.