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More children get caught up in pornography, cybercrime
The number of children involved in pornography and cybercrime cases has increased rapidly over the years, a report from the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) states
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he number of children involved in pornography and cybercrime cases has increased rapidly over the years, a report from the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) states.
The report recorded 322 cases in 2014, an increase from 247 cases in 2013 and 175 cases in 2012, with most cases relating to online pornography.
'The rise of access to information and technology has contributed to this increase, as well as a lack of parental guidance,' KPAI deputy chairperson Maria Advianti told The Jakarta Post earlier this week.
According to the Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association (APJII), Indonesia's total number of internet users reached 88.1 million people in 2014, placing it sixth in the world. Ninety-five percent of these internet users access social networking sites.
Apart from being victims, children have also become perpetrators of sexual violence on the internet, the report adds.
'The most common cases involve children who during romantic relationships send nude pictures to each other, and then one of them makes threats to his or her boyfriend or girlfriend that they will spread the pictures if the other does not do what he or she says,' Maria said.
Maria criticized the government's attempt to block pornographic sites based only on complaints received despite the fact that millions of new websites appear each day.
However, she applauded the existence of a team within the Communication and Information Ministry that actively monitors pornographic sites, although she also urged parents to be cautious when buying smartphones for their children.
'If it's only to communicate, why not just buy them a cheap cellphone just to make phone calls and send messages? It will minimize their access to negative sites,' she said. (fsu/ika)
