Orange commits to a safer digital world for young people
dimanche, février 4, 2024

Orange Cameroon, a responsible corporate citizen, is organizing a series of activities from February 5 to 28 to raise awareness of the need to adopt the right reflexes and behavior on the Internet and in front of the screens.

In this month of February dedicated to youth, Orange Cameroon is launching a campaign to raise awareness among young people of the need for more responsible use of the Internet and better behavior on social networks. The campaign will be relayed on its digital platforms and will include, among other things, advice on the positive use of screens (computers, phones, tablets), good digital practices, a talk on the theme of "Young people and the digital world: dangers & good practices" in the presence of experts from the ecosystem, and a number of games with prizes to be won by participants.

Aware of its responsibility as a digital transformation coach to act in favor of protecting children in this new environment, Orange Cameroon is helping to build a world where everyone can take advantage of the positive developments in digital technology to flourish, while being protected from possible abuses. Digital technology, an undeniable source of progress if properly understood and used, can also have harmful effects on the youngest, who may be exposed to inappropriate content or even violence, online harassment and bullying, exposure to hate speech, recruitment attempts by extremists and terrorist groups, as well as being prone to eye disease due to excessive screen time, etc. These are all scourges that Orange wishes to combat alongside the public authorities and the Cameroonian population.

The "Responsible Digital" campaign is an opportunity for all corporate citizens, and Orange Cameroon in particular, to remind its young audience that it supports them not only in terms of entertainment, but also by implementing actions aimed at their development, evolution and protection. The operator is doing its part to raise collective awareness and to inform vulnerable groups about the dangers of misusing digital technology.

According to the United Nations, young people - the driving force behind global connectivity, with 79% of 15-24 year-olds connected by 2023, compared to 65% for the rest of the world's population - are also spending more time online than ever before. Statistics show that a child around the world goes online for the first time every half a second, and they're getting there earlier and earlier! Digital technology represents unprecedented opportunities for children and young people to communicate, learn, socialize and play, and it also exposes them to new ideas and more varied sources of information every time they log on to social networks or instant messaging platforms, which unfortunately can also sometimes be vectors for misinformation and conspiracy theories.

Since children's online safety is a global challenge due to the volatile and borderless nature of the Internet, Orange Cameroon, in conjunction with organizations working to protect young people and vulnerable groups, is actively working to protect children and young people online through various programs and initiatives that will be highlighted throughout the month of February, with content dedicated to both young people and parents on how to live well with the digital world, led by professionals in the field, including executives from the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and ANTIC, two institutions that are very active in the field of the construction of "digital networks"  building a secure cyberspace for young Cameroonians.