The city of Kenitra hosted a meeting on the secure use of the Internet and the fight against the risks to which children and young people, particularly students, are exposed.
In collaboration with the Local Council of Ulema of Kenitra, the Urban Commune, and the Moroccan Centre for Polytechnic Research and Innovation, the "Le Pont" school group organised a study day under the theme "All together for the consolidation of the culture of secure Internet use and the fight against digital risks". A meeting in which parents of students, teachers, educational staff, several members of civil society, and media representatives took part.
The president of the Local Council of Ulema of Kenitra, Mouhcine Ikoujim, emphasised the educational role of parents, affirming that the first and most important duty of parents towards their children is that of a sound education, in accordance with the precepts and moral and religious values of our country. In order to protect children against the harmful effects of new technologies, the president of the Local Council of Ulema of Kenitra made a point of recalling that spirituality is the foundation of any civilisation and that the family constitutes the first cell that must ensure the strengthening of intellectual and moral immunisation in the child, as well as the spirit of citizenship.
The intervention of Prof. Hassan M’Harzi of the Moroccan Centre for Polytechnic Research and Innovation focused on the various campaigns to fight cybercrime launched by the Centre in collaboration with the departments concerned. He indicated, in this regard, that several awareness-raising activities had been organised for students of various schools in the Kingdom. The speaker did not fail to recall that cybercrime concerns all the actors and departments concerned. He also estimated that the growing threats of cybercrime against the information systems and data of public and private establishments required the implementation of an effective and preventive cybersecurity strategy, in close collaboration with all the components of society to face the dangers of cybercrime and minimise the major risks linked to a cyberattack.
For his part, Abdelmajid Haddour, founding president of the "Le Pont" school group, highlighted the main risks to which children and young people, particularly students, are exposed. He stressed in this regard that the constant evolution of new technologies exposed minors to major risks. To protect oneself and protect children, he specified, it is essential to know the risks of the Internet and to know how to react. According to him, the main risks to be aware of are the following: involuntary exposure to shocking images, meetings with ill-intentioned people, cyberbullying, the dissemination of personal information (name, address, telephone number...), and excessive use, particularly of video games. "On the Internet, as in real life, parents have a major role to play in order to protect their children against the dangers that lie in wait for them daily. Children need to be guided and accompanied," he stressed.
