The problems the internet is causing to children in Kosovo

Pedophilia and violence are seen as the most disturbing online problems for children in Kosovo. So said Teuta Zymer from the Centre for Advanced FIT Studies, which showed in the <x0Puls” of KTV, the data of a research on the use of the internet by children.

She has said that a research conducted with 1500 students in Kosovo, according to statistics, the most popular social network is the Instagram, as YouTube and Facebook follow.

According to research, 97 percent of children in Kosovo are internet users, 85 percent are video games users, and 35 percent of children play aggressive video games. And 45 percent of these children are attending Internet cafes.

Zymer has said how the main concern is pedophilia because “they mask themselves as children's peers and through false profiles went into online games to talk to children”.

She has advised parents to beware of even group conversations in children. According to her, from conversation in a group, she can be passed on to individual conversations and also have requests for appointments.

The privacy and violence of the Internet that are done through threats, concerns, humiliation and harassment are other issues of concern to children on the Internet. Known as “herberduna”, it is mostly done through the Messenger by 37 percent, 15 percent through email, 15 percent from the games, and 12 percent through other forms.

“Today, according to the World Health Organization, Internet addiction is called disease, so parents must be very cautious and in a way
I checked out how many kids stay online and what they're looking at. So we look for your parents to protect your children from violent virtual games by setting restrictions, learning to play with whom, and also taking care of the photos because it can easily be misused”.

“The national internet access strategy by children”

On the other hand, Petrit Tahiri from the Kosovo Centre for Education has said it is preferable that parents be present during the time children play online.

Failure to limit the time a child spends on the Internet, he sees a big problem, adding that children in these cases are free to go anywhere on the Internet and see things that can be preventable or even harmful to them.

Tahiri has further said that Kosovo does not have a national strategy for safe internet access by children. He has criticised institutions, saying no one is dealing with this problem, which he has called “major problems for society”.

He has said that even in schools, teachers and educators should be careful when posting photos on social networks with students. According to him, it should be approved by parents whether they have the right to publish their photos during teaching hours or any other activity.

“Children who use too much Internet, distracted in school hours”

Meanwhile, Arlinda Islamaj, teacher at primary school “Dadnia”, has said that all
Just students who use the Internet too much are distracted by classes.

It has demanded greater parental control of their children's access to the Internet.

He asked, too, to limit his stay on the Internet.