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The Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has cautioned children against meeting with people they first encounter online, warning that such interactions could put their safety at risk.

According to the CSA, many children and young people interact with hundreds of people on social media without knowing who they really are. The Authority warned that some adults use fake profiles to manipulate children into harmful and exploitative acts.

Children were advised to involve a parent or trusted adult if they ever need to meet someone they encountered online.

Speaking on the risks children face on the internet, Ms Jael Bempah of the CSA’s Child Online Protection Unit outlined the 4Cs of online safety.

She said the first “C”, Content, referred to inappropriate or harmful material that children may encounter online. Participants were encouraged to be careful about what they consume on the internet and to avoid imitating everything they watch.

The second “C”, Conduct, focused on how children behave online. Ms Bempah cited sexting as an example, warning that the exchange of inappropriate messages, pictures or videos can expose children to extortion or blackmail.

Another risk, Contact, referred to the dangers children face when interacting with large numbers of unfamiliar people online, including cyberbullies and groomers. They were advised to be careful in their online interactions and to avoid communication that could harm them emotionally.

The final “C”, Commercial, highlighted risks linked to online platforms such as gaming apps, where criminals may use fake accounts or automated profiles to target unsuspecting children. Participants were urged never to share personal information, including their home address or family details, with people they meet online.

The awareness session was held during the maiden edition of MINI Parliament, organised by the Parliament of Ghana’s Department of Public Engagement in collaboration with ACEPA and UNICEF, and in partnership with JoyPrime, on the theme, “Responsible Use of Technology by Children.”

Dignitaries present included Chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Gender, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Helen Ntosu; Vice Chair of the Education Committee, Hon. Joseph Kwame Kumah; Executive Director of ACEPA, Dr. Rasheed Draman; Chief of Social Policy and Inclusion at UNICEF Ghana, Pauliina Sarvilahti; Head of Parliament’s Public Affairs Division, Ms Kate Addo; and the Queen mother of Abelenkpe Dzorwulu, Naa Manye Badu Adiagba I.