Protect your children from cyber predators, counsellor in UAE says (2)

Counsellor in UAE raises alarm after teen sells sister’s nude video on internet

·         Abu Dhabi: A counsellor was shocked to hear from a teenager that he had sold his sister’s nude video on internet to make money.

·         The expatriate family in the UAE took him to the counsellor when he was found bunking the classes and exams of his professional course back home.

·         “They thought he might be addicted to drugs but it was something else. He was lured by pornography mafia on the internet, which offer money in lieu of providing pornography contents,” said Mohammad Mustafa, an Information Technology professional.

Mustafa, an Indian resident in Abu Dhabi, has established a Non-Governmental Organisation namely Developing Internet Safe Community (DISC) Foundation in India to raise awareness about internet safety. The foundation is planning to expand its awareness activities in the UAE and other Gulf states also soon. Mustafa was sharing an experience of a counsellor associated with his organisation. He said the boy placed a secret video camera in the sisters’ bedroom and sold the video to the mafia which offered him attractive remuneration, Mustafa said.
“Luckily that video did not spread on internet and the family never came to know about it; otherwise they would have committed suicide. It still remains a secret between the boy and the counsellor,” he explained.
The guy came back to normal life after long counselling sessions, he said.
Pornography is a multi-billion dollar industry which seeks fresh pictures and videos in lieu of money, he said. Worldwide pornography revenue in 2006 was $97.06 billion (Dh 356.21 billion) which was expected to be doubled in 2011.
“They lure youngsters online into the trade to gather unique or fresh content,” Mustafa said. The deceived youngsters may create contents from their own home, when they are unable to find it outside, he explained.
The surveys in the US have indicated that 90 per cent of children age 8-16 have viewed pornography online (many while doing homework).
Adults as well as children receive unsolicited email attempting to redirect them to a pornographic site.
“A hacker can easily control your webcam to take pictures or videos at your home and place software in your computer to steal photos or videos, if you don’t protect them properly,” Mustafa said.
Apart from the problem of falling victims to pornography mafia, his organisation plans to conduct awareness classes and presentations for parents and children about the various threats in cyber world such as cyber sex addiction, cyber bullying, online harassment or cyber stalking, identity theft, cyber-relationship addiction, violent and hateful contents, online gambling addiction etc.
To avoid such problems, the foundation wants to propagate the practical tips among people. It wants to help to teach internet etiquette, technically secure the computer, monitor children’s online activities, data mine with popular search engines etc.