As part of Shurkum Initiative, the Information Technology Authority (ITA( organized yesterday Monday morning in its headquarter in KOM/Muscat, the 8 open discussion session under the theme of “Protecting Kids in Cyberspace, Current Situation and suggestions” with the presence of Dr. Salim Bin Sultan Alruzaiqi, CEO of ITA, a number of information security professionals and kids protection specialists.
This session aimed at highlighting the dangers facing kids online, promoting parents’ awareness on actions to be taken to protect kids from these dangers as well as introducing the available solutions and tools to reduce them. It also seeks to identify foundations and suggestions to create safer cyberspace for future generation.
The session hosted a number of speakers from various concerned entities including Aziza Sultan Alrashdi, director of Professional Cybersecurity Services at ITA’s OCERT, Saud Salih Almaawali, Director of Public Prosecutor, Suwaiq, Wadha Salim Alalawi, director, Family Consultancy and Guidance Directorate at Ministry of Social Development and Talal Said Alasmi, Director, Electronic Information Security Directorate. The session presented latest statistics gathered from the reports received by OCERT, highlighting the types of risks faced by kids while surfing the internet in the Sultanate. The participants also explored a number of suggestions to help parents control the content of the Internet in the devices used by their kids, including free and paid programs and others. The session concluded with a number of suggestions and recommendations proposed by the participants which could be basis and initiatives for a secure cyber world for future generations.
It is worth to mention that the Information Technology Authority (ITA) started the implementation of Shurkum initiative in 2014 to reinforce community eParticipation in the projects it carries out. The initiative aims to achieve interaction between ITA and the different segments of the society to take their opinion for more transparency and positive effective participation, thus Improving the projects, initiatives and policies of ITA.
The sessions start with open discussion sessions through which ITA’s top management meets face-to-face with the different target groups of the community in order to take public’s opinions and suggestions . In addition, the event is broadcast live through ITA’s different social media channels. All suggestions and proposals are collected to be presented to the management and based on which they take the appropriate decisions. 7 open discussion sessions were held so far.