Students in the United Arab Emirates will get cyber security training to
make them more aware of threats from social networking sites.
During information security awareness camps, students across the
nation will learn about cyber security and the risks of improper use of
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) and the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants (EC-Council)
launched the specifically designed nationwide programme with the aim of
educating students on the optimal use of the social networking sites
and how to avoid suspicious websites.
Teachers from respective schools will be trained and provided with
learning materials on online security and how to apply the teachings to
Upon completion of the course, students will obtain a globally recognised information security certificate by the EC-Council.
TRA Director General, Mohamed Nasser Al
Ghanim said: “The importance of the internet for the younger generation
is increasing; (hence) it has become a vital part of the
Jay Bavisi, President of EC-Council added: “Information security encompasses more than just protecting sovereign IT systems of governments and organisations.
“Advances in instant communication medium
including the likes of Twitter, Facebook, and other instant messaging
services drive the very fabric of our modern society.
“Parents, siblings, teachers and children
alike will need to understand the dangers the connected world presents
while leveraging the internet for education, life and work.”
Raymond Choo, Senior Research Analyst at the Australian Institute of Criminology said that developments in ICT had created an “ideal criminogenic environment”.
“There are abundant opportunities, highly motivated offenders, and
not a great deal of coordinated and effective regulation,” Choo says.
Sangeet Bhullar, Executive Director of WISE KIDS, a UK
not for profit organisation providing training programmes and
consultancy to promote digital literacy, said that schools were just one
stakeholder out of the many needed to enhance awareness.
“We have to involve all the stakeholders—police, educators,
government, child services et cetera—in thinking about how we embed
digital literacy in all the structures.
“Everyone has to come together to look at
the system and decide on what we need and what we don’t have so that we
can work together to educate children and youth effectively.”