Mugumbate Mussollini: Protecting Children in the Digital World Requires Collective Action

Among them, the Children of the Digital Age Foundation from Zimbabwe signed memorandums of understanding with Russian partners. Mugumbate Mussollini, the foundation’s founder and director, spoke to IT Russia about the goals of the cooperation.

– We work with the Zimbabwean government and a number of public organizations, including ministries, to combat cybercrime and warn people, especially children, about threats from online scammers. Our goal is to protect children in a world where increasingly advanced technologies are being used.

Zimbabwe and Russia are like brother and sister, one family. That’s why it’s important for us to work together, share ideas and protect children. I came to the forum to exchange experience and information, then put what I’ve learned to use in Zimbabwe and make our work more effective. Here, we signed memorandums of understanding with two organizations. After the forum, we’ll continue working with our Russian partners. Today, no country can afford to go it alone, because shared problems require joint action.

I believe artificial intelligence can pose a threat to humanity, including children. If these technologies aren’t properly overseen, they can contribute to the spread of disinformation and fake news and lead to chaos. That’s why it’s important to develop AI in collaboration with those who work in the field. To bring about real change, we need to work with technology developers.

American social media platforms are widely used in Zimbabwe. However, these platforms are primarily interested in getting users to consume their content, and they often provide little opportunity for feedback. When we complain about something, our concerns go unanswered. We need to strike a balance between the interests of users and those of social media platforms and their developers.

We need to unite and speak with one voice to secure a dialogue with these platforms. African countries and other nations should work together to discuss how best to protect internet users. That’s only possible if we listen to one another and cooperate.

I’d like to thank the organizers of the Global Digital Forum and the people of Russia once again for inviting us, sharing ideas and being willing to discuss joint projects. In my view, we’re treated differently here than by many American companies, which, I believe, see us primarily as consumers of their platforms. They don’t always take our culture and way of life into account. In Russia, people are willing to listen to us and invite us into a dialogue. That creates opportunities for cooperation and for finding solutions together.