Director General of the Cyber Security Authority, Dr. Albert Antwi-Boasiako, has disclosed the Authority will be developing a Legislative Instrument (L.I) this year to strengthen the legal environment on internet usage.
The LI, he said, is intended to hold service providers who fail to comply with orders for the removal of contents that are inimical to children accountable.
Dr. Antwi-Boasiako disclosed this on Tuesday 7th February, 2023 at a media forum to commemorate Africa Safer Internet Day 2023.
The LI, he said, will devise the necessary mechanisms and also outline specific sanctions that will go against non-compliance private sector actors.
He stated that free, open, and secure internet is a powerful tool to promote connectivity, enhance social inclusiveness, and foster development but indicated that due to misuse of digital tools, the lack of proper safeguards, and their vulnerability, children continue to experience violence, exploitation, and abuse every day from perpetrators and ruthless criminals online.
According to him, in 2020 more than 13,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse were reportedly accessed or uploaded from Ghana while in 2022 Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (OCSEA) was ranked among the top ten crime trends perceived to pose a ‘high’ or ‘very high threat to countries.
“Though alarming, sexual exploitation and abuse is just one form of illegal or harmful content or conduct impacting young people online.”
“Tragedies befalling young people and families across the globe through online grooming on social media have highlighted the need to address the risks of violence against children on these platforms; Violence such as suicide and self-harming behaviours, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, impersonation, exposure to hate speech, self-depreciation, identity theft, and many others.”
He disclosed that since 2018, Ghana has been working to strengthen the legal and policy regime to address Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse with the Cybersecurity Act, 2020 (Act 1038) containing provisions that criminalise the online grooming and enticement of children for sexual abuse.
Dr. Antwi-Boasiako noted that online safety is a shared responsibility among the various stakeholders including service providers, parents, caregivers, government, law enforcement, educators, civil society organizations as well as children themselves.
All sectors, he said, have distinct roles to play and together the internet can be made a very safe environment.
In her address, Madam Joyce Odame, a representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) observed the growth of the internet creates opportunities but also poses serious challenge for children.
According to him, it is therefore imperative to manage the use of the internet by children to ensure their safety and stressed the theme for commemoration ‘Empowering the African Child on Safer Internet’ is relevant, important and appropriate.
UNICEF, she said, has been supporting education on online safety with various programmes and various institutions including the Ghana police and the Ghana Education Service.
He noted, however, that as online abuse continues on the internet, full protection for children cannot be achieved without the full participation of the private sector and appeal to all stakeholders to support the efforts.
