Mediaboss Marketing

16th January, 2013

KUALA LUMPUR: Social networking has been found to be risky to children, according to The Malaysian Internet Experience-Household Use of The Internet 2011 by Malaysian Communication & Multimedia Commission (MCMC) chairman.

MCMC chairman Datuk Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi said according to the survey, 65.5 per cent of the respondents agreed that the social networking was risky to children, while 28.5 per cent have not agreed and 5.9 per cent were neutral.

I see children aged eight to nine, having Facebook and putting all sorts of information.

When we ask the kids the purpose of social network, they would say to keep in touch with friends and find information, he said when presenting a paper entitled Law & Activism in the 21st Century at the Transformation of Security & Fundamental Rights Legislation Conference here yesterday.

According to a survey on social network purposes, he said 69.7 per cent of respondents among teenagers wanted to stay in touch with friends, 64.6 per cent to find information, entertainment (60.1 per cent), sharing experience (59.3 per cent), socialise (58.8 per cent), get opinions (53.7 per cent) while 12 per cent highlighted products and others (7.6 per cent).

Starting from friends, searching for information, having fun, sharing opinion and social. But irresponsible people also follow them and would try to influence the youth, he said adding that 85.21 per cent of penetration of online population have Facebook, and people aged between 18-24 were the highest.

Given the high percentage of children and teenagers using the social networking, Mohamed Sharil noted that parents and teachers were the most appropriate guardians to monitor their childrens social networking activities.

He added that the survey in 2011 showed 92.5 per cent of respondents agreed that parents should regulate their childrens use of internet, 28 per cent voted teachers while 25 per cent put the responsibility to internet service providers and government, respectively.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Sharil said that there were six laws enacted to control online activities in Malaysia such as Communications & Multimedia Act, Computer Crimes Act, Copyright Act, Penal Code, Personal Data Protection Act and Digital Signature Act.

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MCMC: Social networking a risk to kids