Kerala govt devised mobile app to prevent cyber crimes against children: CM

The Kerala government is taking various steps, like coming out with a mobile app, to prevent cyber crimes against children in the state, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Tuesday.

Vijayan was responding to queries in the legislative assembly regarding the increasing instances of cyber crimes against children and steps taken by his government and its agencies to tackle the problem.

The CM said that due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resultant closure of educational institutions, online classes were held through use of digital equipment and the internet.

Extensive use of digital equipment, like mobile phones, and the internet led some children to fall into traps in the cyber world, he noted.

To prevent this Kerala Police has devised various projects and schemes.

Besides that, the state Women and Child Development Department was coming out with a mobile app to prevent cyber attacks or crimes against children, he said.

On upload and download of illicit photographs of children by certain individuals, Vijayan said vigilant steps were being taken by the cyberdome division of the state police.

He warned parents to be careful while using mobile phones in the presence of kids at home, as they would emulate them.

Vijayan stressed on the need to create awareness among parents and teachers on how to deal with such matters.

Concerned at the increasing number of child pregnancies, the Kerala High Court had last month said that easy availability of online porn can give wrong ideas to youngsters and therefore, there was a need to educate children about the safe use of the internet.