Sonnie teaching at the 1st Watcha Webtrap! Cyber Wellness Seminar at Microsoft Philippines
Update: GMA 7 embraced our advocacy and launched “think before you click” campaign
According to ABC CBN news online, crimes and complaints involving the popular social networking site Facebook are rising this year, the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said Wednesday.
The CIDG said it received 25 complaints involving the use of Facebook between January 1 and June 14 this year. In comparison, the agency received 26 cases involving Facebook for the entire year of 2010.
Of the cases involving Facebook this year, 6 were estafa; 6 were libel; 3 each for harassment and hacking; 5 cases of identity theft and fake accounts; and 2 cases of pornography.
As we have been advocating since we launched Watcha Webtrap! Roadshow [cyber wellness seminar for parents, youth and teachers], we can avoid these with 1] An integrated national cyber crime policy and 2] An integrated Cyber wellness campaign
On National Cyber Policy
Because social networking sites were hosted in foreign land, we have to work with foreign governments and private entities to be given what we need to pursue a case. Likewise, our present law is not enough to pursue a solid case to prosecute an offender and send a strong message to cyber criminals on this part of the world. To be able to do this, we should have an integrated national policy that will bring together key agencies of the government, a law that will define an illegal act and agreement with other countries.
So we call on our legislators and the present administration to prioritize the pending bill.
On Cyber Wellness
You may consider this as shameless plugging, but someone has to create noise so decision makers will appreciate the need. These program if taken seriously, is a preventive mechanism that will educate and empower parents to protect their kids, and for adults and young people to be smart and not fall to predators. And for corporations to set up a cyber wellness program that will not only protect its employees, but that of the interest of the company too.
Aside from this blog and the social networking sites that goes with it, we educate Filipinos of the responsible use of social web and avoid the pitfalls. We also teach parents to use the free tools that are available on the net to restrict access to porn sites and alike.
Last year, season 1 of Watcha Webtrap! roadshow was launched. We’ve conducted a total of 20 Cyber Wellness seminars for parents and teachers, and youth going as far as Marbel Cotabato to hold a the seminar for students of Notre Dame of Marbel University. The other schools that hosted us were:
- University of Perpetual Help Las Piñas
- St. Jude Catholic School
- International Christian Academy
- PUP College of Engineering
- Muntinlupa Christian Academy
- Imago Dei School
- CGF Learning Academy
Parents and youth groups of these Christian churches/organizations have invited us also to hold the seminars for them:
- Hope Christian Church Makati
- Christ Commission Fellowship
- Word for the World Makati
- Hope of Praise Christian Church
- God is Good Christian Church
- SPECS Foundation
These organizations, on the other hand, allowed us free use of their venue for our first 2 seminars
- Microsoft Philippines
- Victory Greenhills
We are launching Season 2 of Watcha Webtrap! with the launch of the Cyber Wellness Corporate Edition on July 13, 2011 at Crown Regency Hotel Makati. Our objective is not only to educate the online risks and safety practices, but for corporate peeps to also set-up a Cyber Wellness program for their company. Watcha Webtrap has variations to suit the need of the following groups: Youth, Nannies, Parents and Teachers.
At the moment, we are also finalizing details to have the parents and teachers edition at Maria Montessori Children’s School.
If you need more info about the seminars, please visit WSPH Training and Consultancy web site. If you want to schedule this for your organization, shoot us an email at seminars[at]wsph[dot]biz.
Aside from the National Cyber Crime Policy and Cyber Wellness program, there are more things we can do to protect our citizens from the online risks. These are just 2 of the proposals we submitted on the last International Conference on Cyber Crime:
- Partnerships of Internet Cafes with public schools
- Incorporate Online GMRC starting elementary education.
In your opinion, what else can be done?
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