Ombudsman's activity in the field of safer Internet in 2007

Safer Internet Day 2008 Blogathon

Like other forms of addictive behaviour, Internet addiction can also be harmful for individuals, especially for children and youth, because it can severely damage their social and emotional development. Based on their addiction, children and youth can even easier become the victims of those who abuse Internet to violate human and especially child’s rights.

On the one hand, the Internet represents an educational potential for the youth in the contemporary society, and on the other hand, also the space for deception, abuse and exploitation of children and youth. Therefore, efficient actions against these modern phenomena require cooperation of national bodies, internet service providers, providers of mobile service and computer games, educators, parents, and organizations, which act in the field of human rights protection, also non-governmental organizations. Specially important and irreplaceable in this is the role of the state, which should ensure different ways of assistance, raise awareness and educate the general public, and establish regulatory and control mechanisms. For this reason, the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia is joining the efforts for the elimination of contemporary forms of addiction, from which a number of violations could arise.