RESEARCH

Privacy & Security

1. At least half the respondents shared their passwords with close friends and family even as they mention their friends as the biggest threat to their phone’s privacy & security.

2. Girls were more likely to be coerced into sharing passwords by their fathers or boyfriends. In some cases, sharing passwords with ex-partners resulted in non-consensual sharing of private content and online doxing after the break-up.

3. Children and young people who identified as queer & girls were more likely to be concerned about the privacy of their internet activities. They were circumspect & many tended to pre-censor the content they put out on social media. Majority respondents were more worried about what others including friends post about them online rather their own online conduct.

4. Children and young people placed a higher value and trust on apps where anonymity and privacy were more secure.

5. Existing culture within the immediate family influences the manner in which technology is used. Children from conservative and strict families were more prone to surveillance and control as opposed to more liberal families. Children and young people actively block members of their family including distant relatives from their timeline. Many refuse to add family members to their friend lists.

6. Children & young people were cautious about asserting political identities & strong opinions as it led to online & on ground backlash.

Usage

1. Children below 15 years had between 2 to 4 hours of internet enabled screen time every day which was rationed out by an adult living in their household. Older children, especially those above 18, were always connected to the internet even if they were not necessarily engaging with it actively.

2. Most respondents had conflicts with parents and older siblings over their usage of the internet. However, the severity of such conflict was greater among smaller children as well as girls of all ages.

3. Gender and sexual orientation play a role in families’ decision to police and surveil children’s online activities. Girls and queer children were more concerned about such policing. Many girls did not have permission to access the internet outside their homes.

4. YouTube was the most popular app, Google was the most popular website, Facebook was the most popular social media platform, PUBG was the most popular game and Vidmate was the most popular app not available on Playstore.

5. A notable number of respondents experienced actual physical pain in the body due to excessive screen time. Those with uninterrupted internet connections and own phones experience signs of ‘anhedonia’ (mindlessly engaging with the internet)

6. Children and young people were more prone to using digital wellbeing apps that come pre-loaded with the phone rather than digital wellbeing functions provided within platforms

Access

1. Lack of Meaningful Access to the Internet puts children and young people at various kinds of risk:

Physical Risk: In some cases when children had to leave their homes and neighborhoods to walk to the nearest point of access (a public Wi-Fi connection, an area where internet network is available etc.) which could at times be over a kilometer away.

Mobile Device Security/Information Security Risks: In some cases, children downloaded apps fraudulently claiming to increase internet speeds, provide free data etc. which turned out to be malware, bloatware etc. that posed a threat to devices and data.

Emotional Risks: Children experienced listlessness, frustration and anger when internet speeds are slow or it is unavailable. A bad connection was de-motivating and they would tend to avoid and not perform activities rather than attempt it on a bad connection.

Financial Risks: Poor internet access lead to families as well as children and young people paying more for additional sims, cybercafés etc. thus incurring a substantial cost especially to lower socio-economic communities and families

Information Risks: Internet shutdowns and blackouts during environmental or civic emergencies increased anxiety and fear among children and young people, depriving them of a medium through which they could verify information they receive.

2.  A large number of children and young people were first generation users of the internet. Instead of parents orienting them towards online spaces, in many instances, it was the children who learn first and then orient the family.

3. There was a stark gender, class and age divide in mobile ownership, access to connection, quality of connection & diversity of online experiences. Girls, younger children, respondents belonging to marginalized communities faced significant barrier in accessing meaningful connections.

4. Larger percentage of boys owned their mobile phones aand for many, it was purchased for them by their families. If girls wanted own devices, chances were higher that they would have to buy it for themselves.

5. A significant number of children and young people used shared household devices. Girls using shared devices with male siblings worried about surveillance by their siblings (especially older brothers). The repercussions ranged from mild-scolding to severe physical violence and temporary loss of access to phones & connections.

6. Like most utilities, quality of internet connection in a particular neighborhood depends on the socio-economic status of the neighborhood and community.

Do’s & Don’ts

Do have empowering, inspirational content as part of the module

Online safety modules should necessarily cite cautionary statistics and case studies. However, balancing it with the positive uses of online spaces citing opportunities available and citing positive case studies is empowering and motivating for children and young people.

Don’t have a fear-based approach

Citing worst-case scenarios, using dark imagery and excessive emphasis on dangers can spread panic not just among children and young people but also among those who monitor and supervise children’s online presence. This may result in further surveillance and control and risks alienating children and young people.

Do get technical

Most children and young people are curious to learn about the technical and practical aspects of handsets, computers and platforms. The facilitator must have basic technical aptitude. If you can help a child fix a bug on their Facebook profile, they will listen to you when you talk about personal data.

Don’t dismiss adjacent queries

It is not uncommon during an online safety workshop to hear a question regarding where one can get reliable information on menstruation and hygiene. The facilitator must enable the child to navigate the web to find a trusted source. Children and young people see online and o-ground spaces as a continuum and queries that are adjacent to the core issues must not be dismissed but should rather be engaged with and answered.

Do know your Training Group

Internet safety is vast topics and various groups have diverse expectations and different manners in which they access and use the internet. Having a general idea of what the group wants you to address beforehand, helps increase relevance and engagement in the session.

Don’t dismiss Socio-Cultural-Economic Realities of the Training Group

Quality and manner of internet usage as well as the attendant risks and opportunities depend on socio-cultural-economic realities of the training group. Risks related to apps promoting faster internet may not be needed for groups who live in relatively prosperous neighborhoods but are the basics of safety for someone living in a marginalized neighborhood. Similarly, in mixed gender groups, boys tend to dominate the conversation because they have had a greater and more diverse exposure to the internet than others. This needs to be acknowledged and factored in and spaces for other voices need to be actively made.

Do be Age Appropriate

While it is good to start early with online safety messages, it is important to consider the age of the group so as to be relevant and proper with content and messaging.

Don’t overlook diversity

The internet is an extremely plural space and therefore the content and design must be inclusive of class, caste, religion, gender identity and sexual orientation.

Do have a rights-based approach

Ensure that the module communicates to children and young people their basic Rights to Access, Privacy, Expression, Safety and Participation.

Don’t have an individual-centric approach

Ensure the module emphasizes that one is always part of communities and networks online and hence, while one exercises one’s right, one must ensure that another’s rights are not impinged upon.

Do Stay Updated

The internet is a dynamic topic and children and young people tend to be at its cutting edge. The content in the module must be examined for possible updation frequently.

Don’t be afraid of Talking about Tough Subjects

Subjects like pornography, internet censorship, internet shutdowns, online abuse and vitriol against minority communities are realities that children and young people face or hear about. At the very least, the module must enable them to understand these and articulate them

Do encourage critical thinking and alternatives

Network effects, monopolies and lack of interoperability can result in less than diverse and restrictive internet experience. Ensure that your module encourages children and young people to seek out diverse spaces and online cultures.

Don’t give the state or Big Tech a free pass

Internet policy and regulation is a new and contested area and everyone is learning. There are various points of views around internet shutdowns, app bans etc. Discuss the wide range of POVs in your modules and do not just stick to the official line.
.

The Cyberpositivity Framework

1. Access – Inclusion – Plurality
Access to the internet is the basic right of every child. Inclusion signifies a representational equality. Plurality suggests a functioning equality.
Eg: Girls interviewed for the study had access to the internet. Some of the girls, who had access, also had social media accounts. Now we must ensure that they are enabled to use the accounts in a meaningful manner.

2. Literacy – Learning – Application
Literacy is the basic right. Learning is the continuing process of acquiring skill and knowledge and finally, application signifies the skill and learning being put to use.
Eg: 13 year old girl from a lower socio-economic neighborhood uses Facebook and YouTube to learn Korean. The girl must now find a platform where her skills and knowledge can be sustainably applied.

3. Exploration – Assimilation – Expression

Children explore new ideas, knowledge and platforms on the internet. After which there is an attempt to reconcile with these new facets and facts. Only once the confusion is settled and reconciliation occurs, the expression beings.
Eg: Boys are curious about pornography. However, even as they watch it, they are unable to assimilate this new information and have a million questions and are unable to verbalize them for the lack of vocabulary, safe platforms etc. They now need a safe platform to engage with, which respects their agency and choices even as it gives them the right information.

4. Anonymity – Privacy – Autonomy

As we are dealing with children, the baseline has to be anonymity. A young child is still learning the concept of privacy. And when the concept of privacy is clear, one can exercise personal sovereignty, choice and autonomy.
Eg: When exploring any dating app or new social media platform, the respondents mention that they like to initially explore the platform anonymously. They use this period of anonymity to gauge the level of privacy that they are comfortable with. And lastly, with regards to autonomy, as a girl in the queer group said – “Now I put whatever I want on my social media and if you don’t like it, I don’t care… I don’t want to associate with you.”

5. Safety – Redressal – Justice

Safety is a basic right. Followed by a strong redressal system. And justice, of course, remains aspirational.
Eg: Most respondents had safety as a priority. And most seemed to ask for strong redressal systems, which were either on the platform or were informal. They wanted the justice system to be involved but only in serious cases.

6. Leisure, Self-Care and Creativity
Every child has a right to leisure. There is a kind of leisure that enables children to relax and de-stress. And then there is leisure that leads to creativity.
Eg: The children who progressed from consuming videos to starting their own video channels.

To achieve each vertical, the following elements need to be further defined by practitioners, academicians and policy makers:
a) Values (What are the values needed to achieve and sustain this vertical?)
b) Infrastructure and Design (What are the infrastructure and design developments needed to achieve and sustain this vertical?)
c) Policies and Regulation (What are the policies and regulations needed to achieve and sustain this vertical?)
d) Knowledge and Skill (What are the knowledge and skills that the child needs to achieve and sustain this vertical?)

Behavior

1. Most children and young people reported that they themselves behaved differently across the online and spaces. They experience Online Disinhibition Effect in both positive and toxic forms.

2. The need for online popularity plays a key role in shaping their online behavior.

3. Many children and young people who identified as queer were closer to their real selves in online spaces as opposed to on ground spaces.

4. Self-Help was an extremely popular genre of video content among children and young people. Watching motivational content made them feel better about their lives in the offline world.

5. Children and young people categorize videos pitting Hindus against Muslim as well as videos against caste-based reservations as extremely disturbing.

6. Queer children and young people experience mental health distress when they hear news about queer children and youth from across the world dying by suicide.

7. Girl respondents mentioned being exasperated with bad taste and bad faith jokes on gender shared on social media that demean women. The experience of being subject to such content was compared to ‘gaslighting’.

Information

1. Almost all children and young people searched for information related to body, sex and sexuality online. Despite coming across a surfeit of content in response to the questions, they struggled to get satisfactory answers online because they are unable to identify suitable and trusted sources.

2. Queer children have an early struggle searching for relevant information especially if they are unaware of the specific terminologies used by the community.

3. Most children and young people come across pornography when they are not actively searching for it. These instances are higher for queer children who can stumble across pornographic material even when they use even basic search terms like ‘lesbian’.

4. Children and young people were motivated to self-learn off the internet particularly when they saw themselves as part of a larger and dynamic ecosystem/community within which they had presence and agency. Meaningful access as well as increased diversity in internet usage played a part in motivating self-learning.

5. Children and young people were confused about internet censorship and the manner in which it is applied by governments as well as platforms.

5. 100% of the respondents were not just aware of fake news and misinformation they also reported being affected adversely by it.

6. Boys tended to earn money using online gambling apps and survey apps while girls earn through showcasing and selling self – made artifacts on social media.

Risks

1. Queer children and girls have expressed deeper concerns over online safety risks than cis-het boys.

2. Queer children and young people face greater risks because of a lack of spaces online dedicated to queer people that are not sexualized.

3. Boys largely make fake account to prank their friends. However, queer children and girls viewed fake accounts as a safety strategy through which they could anonymously navigate communities online and orient themselves to spaces and decide if they were comfortable revealing their personal details.

4. Most children and young people know about reporting mechanisms on platforms and have used them. However they find the systems too complicated to use and the choices they had to make during the process dissuaded them from reporting. They find the results of the reporting to be largely less than satisfactory.

5. Some of the risky activities online that were mentioned by children and young people include:
– Sharing pictures and videos of themselves
– Meeting strangers online
– Accessing areas of social media prone to unwanted, inappropriate and even abusive messages and comments.
– Blindly indulging in activities spurred on by a need for popularity and attention like stunts or sexually risqué behavior.
– Hackers stealing their online persona and data and misusing their accounts.
– Falling in love online
–  Access to Pornographic material
– Gaming addiction
– Financial fraud and online scams

6. Despite acquiring resilience after overcoming internet risks, children & young people felt that  safety should be ensured online and that no other person should face risks in the manner that they had.

7. Contrary to popular perception that children and young people cannot understand the risks associated with the internet, it was observed that almost every group had immense awareness of the general safety rules on the internet. Below is a list of safety rules that were mentioned by the respondents across all the five cities:
“I don’t put personal pictures.”
“I always delete history of videos watched.”
“I keep my account private so that no one will follow.”
“I hide stories/status from friends that I don’t trust.”
“I hide posts on Facebook.”
“I block the unknown followers.”
“I hide my ‘last seen’ on WhatsApp because if family members get to know that I stay online for so long they would not like it and I will be scolded and admonished.”
“I use long strong complicated passwords.”
“I make it a point to not “show -off” online. I am as real online as I am offline and I feel it keeps me safe. A lot of people take risks to live up to their online profile personas.”
“I block people when I do not want to talk to them and if I feel like speaking to them again I unblock them.”
“If I am browsing a website and receive a warning that the website is unsafe I never revisit that website again. If I visit a website and there are too many pop ups, I never visit it again.”
“I hide my mobile number from the internet. I don’t want the number to be leaked.”
“I do not post things that can attract controversy and online hate.”
“I use strict privacy settings.”
“I do not add extra (unknown) people.”
“I do not store stranger’s number and add only those people I know on WhatsApp.”
“I don’t post photos at all.”
“I block out people.” “I use the ‘only friends’ option (on Facebook).”
“I do not give ‘public’ access.” (to any of my social media posts)
“I am always alert and I always use the internet within limits (of general propriety). We are not safe if we do not use internet within our limits”
“If you are meeting someone online ask them for multiple pictures of themselves in particular poses. So if they are using stock images or found images, they get cornered and exposed.”

Siddharth Pillai

Co-Director & Communications Manager

For the last 8 years, Siddharth has worked with non-profits across India managing communications. At Aarambh he takes forward the national network and resource centre activities. He has worked as a communications manager for Video Volunteers, and on several successful online campaigns including ARTICLE 17 and the Hunger Videos, a series of videos produced in collaboration with Red Cross. Prior to that, he worked with the Bangalore-based Centre for Information & Development Studies (CIEDS). He curated the ‘Cinema of Resistance’ package for World Social Forum 2007, Nairobi. In 2009, he was invited to cover the Berlin Film Festival as part of the Talent Press Initiative. He was the festival coordinator and curator for Voices from the Waters, one of the largest environmental film festivals in the country between 2007 and 2010. He works on film research projects in his free time.

The Ideal Internet

(According to Children & Young People)

“Internet should be fast. Strong network should be available throughout.”
“There should be safety- no one should take advantage of what I do on the internet.”
“There should be no misinformation.”
“It should be for people of all ages but some areas should have age restrictions.”
“Boys and girls should not have separate rules and unequal access.”
“There should be more free material. Free movies. Free music. Free Educational material.”
“Before putting apps on Play Store, the authenticity of every app should be thoroughly checked and inquired.”
“Everyone should be friendlier with each other and regard each other as fellow human beings. Everybody must find a place to belong and that community must exist peacefully with other communities.”
“There should be no hacking of accounts. Users should have full control of their accounts, data and content.”
“Communication should be easier & smoother. Even if I want to talk to the Prime Minister, the internet must make it possible.”
“If any problem occurs, I want a quick response to solve my problem.”
“There should be no advertisements.”
“There should be guest log-ins.”
“People should have full knowledge of privacy of the sites where they post pictures and videos.”
“Whoever wants to express their thoughts must be able to express their thoughts.”
“I want the mindset of our parents and elders to change.”
“It should be a lace where young people have more power to take positive action.”
“When I create something, I want the internet t acknowledge that I created it.”
“I want the mindset of parents & elders around the internet to change. I want them to understand that times have changed, that we are living in the present and they are living in the past.”

Reshma Naykodi

Coordinator MCSN & Case Management

Reshma has completed her Masters in Women Centered Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. At Aarambh, she is the coordinator for the Mumbai Children’s Safety Network and case management. In her 3 years of experience in the development sector, she has worked extensively on women’s empowerment, education of tribal children, gender sensitization and rights of differently-abled children. Previously she was as Senior Community Mobilizer with Swadahaar FinAccess where she worked with various women’s groups all over Mumbai on the issue of financial education. Post that, she worked under her alma mater as a program officer on the National University Student Skill Development Program.

Dr. Pooja Kandula

Research Officer

Pooja is a qualified dentist but it is development work at the grassroots that moves her spirit. She completed Masters in Social Work with a specialization in Child Rights and Protection from Amrita University, Coimbatore. As a part of her dissertation, she did a research on independent migration of children and worked on framing child protection policies for NGOs in Coimbatore. In the last four years she has worked with government and civil society organizations engaged in providing support to children at risk. She worked as a Program Manager in Bihar with Nari Gunjan , an organization working with Musahars, one of the most vulnerable communities in the state. At Aarambh, she drives the new research unit.

Francesco Caruso

President, Firetree Asia Foundation

Francesco is currently the President of the Firetree Asia Foundation. Both foundations focus on supporting the most marginalized children and youth in Asia. Francesco spends the majority of his time working with local Asian organizations to strengthen their management and governance. Between 2003 and 2008 Francesco lived in Cambodia where he co-founded M’Lop Tapang, a holistic project for street children. Francesco sits on the Board of Directors of M’Lop Tapang, Action Pour Les Enfants (Cambodia) and Thrive Networks Foundation (Hong Kong). Previous to his work with non-profit institutions, Francesco worked for eight years in finance in North America and Europe. He holds an LLM degree (International law) and a Masters Degree in Management.

Dr. Pravin Patkar

Adjunct Professor, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham & Co-Founder,

Dr. Patkar is a noted social activist, teacher, academician and writer. He is the founder of. He is the founder and managing trustee of Pariwartan ‘84, an action programme to end trafficking of tribals for forced labour that successfully helped closed down the bonded labour system. Previously he was at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences for 20 years teaching at the postgraduate level and guiding multidisciplinary research. He has published several papers on Development Impact, Labor Economics, Environment, Agriculture, Trafficking, Sex Tourism among other subjects. His grassroots work has been recognized and feted by several national and international organizations. He is also a published author of award-winning short stories in Marathi and has worked and consulted on many acclaimed tele-serials, documentaries and public service ads. Currently he is the Adjunct Professor at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham in Coimbatore.

Seema Sood

Director of Events and PR, Leo Burnett

Seema has over 17 years of varied experience that includes journalism, teaching, corporate communications and non-profit management. She worked as the COO of the Salaam Bombay Foundation for three years. She single-handedly managed the 7-day triennial World Conference on Tobacco for Health conference plus Youth convention spread across 130 nations. The Goa fest has been a major part of her portfolio since 2006. She has worked with prominent brands and has won awards at Cannes and AMEA. She set-up Leo Hope- a cell that advertises for non-profits along with the project management department of Leo Burnett. She holds a masters degree in journalism.

Rohit Tote

Marketing Strategist

A Market Research and Strategic Consulting Professional with more than 9 years of experience, Rohit has worked in USA and India with leading businesses and corporate houses. His work ranges across multiple industries including television, video gaming, telecommunications, consumer goods, online services and non-profits.

Lisa Genasci

Manager, Sustainable Finance, ADM Capital

Lisa is formerly the founder and CEO of ADM Capital Foundation (ADMCF), an innovative philanthropic vehicle to support critical research and impact-driven approaches to promoting environmental conservation in Asia. She has worked with ADM Capital to shape its environmental and social principles and supported the development of an in-house ESG tool. Lisa is a founder, with the ADM group, of the Tropical Landscapes Finance Facility (TLFF): a sustainable lending platform with BNP Paribas, UN Environment and ICRAF also as partners designed to finance green growth projects that aim to improve rural livelihoods and land use in Indonesia. A director of the Hong Kong-based Civic Exchange and Angkor Hospital for Children in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Lisa is also an advisor to the Washington DC-based Ocean Foundation and Hong Kong’s Clean Air Network. Lisa holds a BA degree with High Honors from Smith College and an LLM in Human Rights Law from HKU.

Mallika Singh

Entrepreneur

Mallika has over 16 years of varied experience. She spent 8 years in Corporate and Investment Banking with Rabobank before moving to development as part of the National Management team of NGO Pratham. She spent over 4 years with Pratham, devoting her financial skills to making the Read India campaign a success through fund raising, resource allocation and program management. The campaign reached over 60 million children and 550 districts across India. Using her experience and skills gained in banking and development, she has now donned the mantle of a social entrepreneur and is focused on creating revenue generation models for the youth of India. She has been using an established interiors business as a platform to innovate and pilot these models. Mallika continues to work actively for child rights, and believes strongly in Aarambh and its model of resource sharing to ensure an end to child sexual abuse. She holds a MBA degree from the Indian School of Business.