Promotional flyer by the Ministry of Information Society, on the occasion about World Telecommunication and Information Society Day

Published date: 14.05.2009 13:27 | Author: PRESS CLIPPING

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World Telecommunication and Information Society Day May 17th, marks the founding of the International Telecommunication Union. This is one of the oldest international organizations, founded in 1865. by signing the first International Telegraph Convention. The purpose of marking this Day is to affirm information and communication technologies, apropos the importance which they have for the development of modern society. Montenegro is joining the celebration of this Day, and the holder is the Ministry of Information Society.
A long time ago, Montenegro has recognized the importance of information and communication technologies for own progress and dedicated the great attention to this area, putting it at the top level of priority in own development plans. In this regard, in previous years, a large number of projects have been realized; with the aim that our country as a greater extent involves in the areas flows such are in the modern world. Attention was focused in several directions, and most important are: the development of information and communication infrastructure, staff education and affirmation of term information and communication technologies regarding the importance it has for the whole country development. In this context, it can be concluded that Montenegro reached the enviable level of informatics and telecommunications development; and by many solutions which are applying in everyday life, any citizen, any economy Montenegro is the leader in the region.

However, as we know, one of the main modern technology features is constantly changing and the newer solutions are developing; so any fails in this area leaves serious consequences on the whole societys functioning.

Just consider the achieved level of development, and bearing in mind the contemporary trends in this area which are in the world, the Government of Montenegro has recently adopted a Strategy for Information Society Development of Montenegro for period 2009 2013.

The Strategy for Information Society Development is an extremely important document. Through its adequate and permanent implementation, there is no doubt that Montenegro will be an example to many countries in the most recent time, not only when it comes to the region, but in terms of information and communication technologies and by the services availability to our citizens majority.
The Ministry of Information Society, as the responsible body for implementing activities planned by the Strategy, in the coming period will permanently work on the development and approaching information and communication technologies to all population segments.

In this sense, Ministry of Information Society marks World Telecommunication and Information Society Day. This year, ITU Council adopted the theme Protecting children in cyberspace, and primarily, but not only, it refers to children aged between 12 and 16 years.
It is a very important topic, which starts to actuate greater attention of professional and general public, because we know that children and young people are the largest and the most prompted users of information and communication technologies, especially of the Internet.
Internet, which from day to day offers new opportunities and new services to users at all meridians, is a substantial factor in the life of modern man, especially the young and children. This is easy to understand, when we know that the Internet is a medium that offers many opportunities for education, entertainment, socializing; then all what is a priority of young people.
However, the Internet, as well as many other ranges of modern civilization, in addition to numerous advantages, with inadequate use, can cause certain dangers. Therefore, this year's theme Protecting children in cyberspace is chosen to draw public attention on more expressed problem of improper content which children and young people exposed to the Internet, as well as the necessity for parents and children education about the many advantages of Internet and modern communication in general, but also all the risks that are ravening, perhaps, the biggest phenomenon today. The point is, therefore, to spot out that the Internet is a media of present and future, offering many possibilities, and as such should be used to the greatest extent possible, but with the necessary caution.

PARENTS
All researches that are conducted in various countries around the world, which are related to Protecting children in cyberspace, point to the fact that parents about information technology, especially about the Internet, have less knowledge than their children. Therefore, a large number of parents count on the different computer programs that protect children from unwanted content on the Internet. However, research conducted in the USA several months ago, showed that the children on the Internet can not be protected of pornography, sexual calls and various of inconvenience by using only technological solutions - programs. However, these programs reduce the risk, because they prohibit access to certain sites, but it can not be fully offset. As the best solution, it is suggested that parents in the greater extent learn about the Internet and constantly control children while they are sitting in front of the computer. The basic rule is: do not leave children, especially the younger, alone at the computer! This is quite logical, because if children use the Internet alone in own room, without supervision, and if they use it every day, hourly, children will by surfing lead to impropriate content sooner or later.

Education for parents that are already applied in some countries, even in our region, are targeted to the following:

PARENTS need to constantly talk with children about what they do on the Internet, what Web site they visit, in what chat rooms they go, do they have and if they have how they look on a profile at the so-called social networks (e.g. Facebook) and what data children leave on the Internet, to interlocutors, about yourself and family.

In particular, in the last time attention is paying to controlling data that child leaves on the Internet. In fact, research shows that children are very prone to talk all information about themselves and their parents to completely unknown participant or interlocutors, whom they do not know personally and even can not see them. From many users of these communication forms, someone can be easily found who will abuse data in various ways and make a annoyance to child, and in extreme cases, which in today's world are not rarely, expose child to various forms of exploitation (financial, sexual ... ).

Another concept that is in close connection with the protection of children on the Internet, which is often heard in our country, is dependence of the Internet. In fact, parents often anguish the dilemma whether their children is computer-dependent and how much time to allow them to spend at the computer. Psychologists say that addiction exist if the child regularly spends more than four hours a day at the computer. Fortunately, as research shows, the Internet dependence is still not as widespread and includes about 3 percent of users.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF DEPENDENCE?
Key is the acceptance of the Internet as the environment that can provide emotional support, and which the child cannot get from own peers or family. Other caution of Internet dependence is associated with the desire to escape the parents demands, schools, environment ... Child starts to live in a constant expectation that, through communication via the Internet, will happened something about child has had an imagination for a long time. So, in the virtual world, the child is trying to become someone else and in such world gets virtual friends.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF VIRTUAL DEPENDENCE TO THE CHILD?

- Child in all possible ways avoids doing homework and spends free time at the computer; the computer is more important than socializing with peers and parents; the child does not have a favorite book, no other entertainment except the computer; the time which child spends at the computer exceeds the time that is spending on other activities (learning, exit out, socializing); deprivation of the computer usage possibility causing the protests, weep, scream, and even aggression.

Psychologists say that certain measures exist that can be taken to prevent the formation of dependence:

- Arrange with child how much time it should be spend by the computer, try that in the greater extent the child spends free time by walking, in cinema, etc..; Introduce the rule that, for example for the weekend, no sitting behind the computer.

PARENTS
It is impossible to prohibit the use of the Internet and modern technology in general. Moreover, it is not necessary. What certainly can be done is to controlling how your child uses the time which is spending at the computer, with who is emailing; with who is talking, which sites is looking... With such attention, you will remove all danger, the child will accept modern technology as an integral part of own life, something which is necessary for modern life, but according to what should be reasonable prudential measure, as well as to many other things with which we live. This will also be the opportunity for you to learn something useful from the Internet, and to enjoy in all that proper usage offers.

CHILDREN

- The Internet is very useful, you can learn a lot, but make sure on time you spend on the Internet;
- Use electronic services, but not forget on normal life, in favor of cyber-life;
- By overly stay in the chat rooms you will not escape the boredom, but you will only begin to be bored, because you will lose the sense of joy for another lifes happiness;
- Do not open suspicious Web sites;
- Turn-on and regularly update anti-virus programs;
- No arrange meetings with unknown people who have met via the Internet;
- Communicate via the Internet, but keep in mind that not everything you read over the Internet is a true;
- Keep track of building its own personality, and not forming a profile on Facebook;
- First complete all obligations, and then use the computer;
- No postpone joy that will cause reading books or watching movies;
- Enjoy the Internet, as well as the spring, having fun, outs, walks, sports, sea, mountain ...