Nehsan Selvaraj: Protecting Children Online Requires International Cooperation
The Second Global Digital Forum in Moscow brought together technology developers and those who decide how their technologies should be used.
Experts, ministers and advisers to heads of state gathered at the forum to explore forms of cooperation that would benefit all parties. As the forum reviews its initial outcomes, Nehsan Selvaraj of the Malaysia, president of the Diplomatic Council, shares his impressions with the IT Russia media platform.
– I represent the Diplomatic Council and serve as its president. Our main goal is to bring together leaders from different countries and help create a unified, interconnected world.
The modern world has gone digital, everything is interwined, and we depend on artificial intelligence in many ways. One of the main challenges facing our council is protecting the digital environment, including children. There is a great deal of abuse online, including child exploitation. We also want to protect children from harmful content. We hope to achieve tangible, positive change in the near future.
We have conducted an analysis and found that governments around the world share common goals. We all want to protect children from harmful content, including sexually explicit material. At a recent roundtable, we discussed these issues and found that Russia, African countries, Malaysia, China and Indonesia share similar goals and values. That is why we want to exchange ideas and experience and conduct joint research to protect children more effectively. I am confident that cooperation will help us succeed.
Meanwhile, countries have different capabilities. Some are developed countries, such as Russia and Malaysia, while others, including several African nations, have fewer resources. We face a serious challenge: ensuring the safety of all children, including those living in poor countries and remote areas.
I believe we can solve this problem. Some countries are considering laws that would restrict children, for example those under 16, from accessing platforms containing sexually explicit material.
In my view, however, there is another approach: creating a safe online environment for children of different ages. Separate spaces could be set up for seven-year-olds and 13-year-olds, where they could learn and access only age-appropriate content.
