Nadya Eka Lestari
TechInAfrica — MTN launched its Child Online Protection initiative in partnership with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), following its continued effort to battle against children’s exploitation on the internet. The company claims to be the first Africa-wide telecommunications company to partner with the IWF.
MTN believes that everyone deserves the benefits of modern connected life and that all users of its products and services have the right to freely and safely enjoy the digital solutions it offers.
“We’re good together” initiative that was launched in October aimed at demonstrating how through partnerships we can help to accelerate digital inclusion for the good of society,” Rob Shuter, MTN Group CEO, said.
MTN said it has a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of abuse and exploitation, including that of children.
“We are guided in our efforts by the work of global organizations and law enforcement authorities dedicated to managing this complex matter. We are a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact as well as the GSMA Mobile Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse. Our partnership with the IWF builds on our commitment to ensure the safety of children online,” Shuter explained.
“The free, open nature of information and communication technologies, while benefitting society, unfortunately also creates opportunities for people to develop online relationships with vulnerable children, join communities that harm children, and share sexually-abusive material on children.
“As MTN is expanding the digital sphere, both on the continent and globally, it is important to us that we ensure that all who are touched by our products and services are impacted positively, including children.”
Shuter added, “Online safety is a key concern for our business, it is for this reason that we have partnered with Internet Watch Foundation to create an online community that it’s safe and from which all users, of all ages, can benefit.
“Through the partnership, we hope to play our part in the fight against the exploitation of children on the internet and educating children and young people about the safe and responsible usage of ICT,” said Shuter.
“We are making every possible effort to contribute towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal to end all forms of violence against children.
We believe that together, we can realize the right of every child to live free from fear, neglect, abuse, and exploitation.”
The membership agreement will provide support services from IWF to MTN including alerts to MTN Group if a domain under MTN’s control is found to host child sexual abuse content and such domains will be blocked automatically.
MTN encourages its customers and members of the public to safely and anonymously report online Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) using IWF’s confidential reporting portal. IWF will investigate all reports and work with country partner hotlines or international law enforcement agencies to make sure that confirmed cases of child sexual abuse content on the internet are removed at source.
“We also use our best endeavors to ensure that MTN’s third-party content providers do not make CSAM available to our customers. Providers that offer such content will be considered in breach of their contract, and their contracts will be terminated,” Shuter said.
Susie Hargreaves OBE, the IWF CEO, added, “We’re delighted that MTN has chosen to demonstrate their commitment to a safer internet for everyone by becoming a member of the Internet Watch Foundation. It’s only thanks to partnerships like these that we’re able to drive forward our mission to eliminate photos and videos of child sexual abuse from the internet. As the largest mobile operator in Africa, MTN’s alliance with the IWF will significantly impact the spread of criminal imagery across the continent and further afield.”
Source: techfinancials.co.za
