Title of the study

The title of the study is, the risks that impact children behavior when unguided in
the online environment

1. Background of the study

In recent years there has been an increase in Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
applications in various sectors around the globe (GeSI, 2012). They include education, health,
government, banking and finance, environment and smart energy (Yonazi J. , 2012). This is
because ICTs have become, within a short time, one of the basic requirements of modern society
(Daniels, 2002). A typical example is the rise and usage of mobile phone whereby in 2013 there
were almost as many mobile cellular subscriptions as people in the world (table 1), ITU (2013).

Figure 1: Mobile Cellular Penetration, 2013 (Source: ITU (2013))

The use of ICT is a way towards the global partnership for development. This is due to the
drastic increase of the users of ICT especially the mobile subscribers (UN, 2013). It is expected
that availability and diffusion of ICT will contribute to social and economic development
(Yonazi J. , 2012). This is from the fact that, ICTs can enable organizations to be more
productive, thereby driving economic growth and helping firms to be more competitive. ICTs
can also expand the reach and effectiveness of social development projects and have already
yielded important benefits in areas such as; - healthcare, education and environmental
preservation. Public-sector adoption of ICTs makes the governments more efficient and their
decision-making more transparent.

The use and adoption of ICT is not without risks. A specific observation regards the way ICT
extends information security issues to users, children in particular (ITU, 2009). ICT poses cyber
risks around the globe by extending threats such as;- cyber bullying, harassment, online abuse
such as seeing harmful or illegal content or being exposed to grooming for sexual purposes,
production, distribution or collection of child abuse materials. Strom et al (2011) describes the
situation as a cyber-island where children visit online environment with unlimited supervision
due to the fact that their parents have overscheduled themselves and their careers make them so
busy that they are unable to arrange time to explore what their children are doing on the Cyber
Island.
Different measures have been initiated in an attempt to address issues related to risks facing
children participating in the online environment. Examples of such measures include the world
summit on the information society (WSIS) which was held in two phases, Geneva (10-12
December 2003) and Tunis (16-18 November 2005). Among the outcomes of WSIS was
recognizing the needs of children and young people and their protection in cyber space (ITU,
2009). Another example includes the work done by Livingstone et al (2010). It analyses the
problem in a survey of children of 9-16 years of age and their parents that was done in UK. It
aimed at identifying the opportunities and risks experienced by children when they are online.
The usage, activities done, subjective harm and risks were identified. However, as technology
advances, so are the risks related to it. It is therefore imperative that efforts and commitments are
done to constantly create a safe online environment for children.

2. Statement of the problem

The advent and diffusion of the internet and internet-enabled-devices have given an
unprecedented opportunity for children across the globe to participate in the online environment.
It is expected that such participation will provide children with better environment for
entertainment, innovation, access to education resources etc. However, the internet extends to
children an environment with a myriad of risks that subjects them into behavioral harm.
Different scholars have identified risks that are faced by children when participating in an online
environment. Strom et al (2011) has identified various risks that are linked with childrens
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unmonitored access to the online environment; these include, bullying and sexual harassment.
There are times when children contact adults who ends up sexually abuse them (Schaik, 2006).
These risks can have emotional, social, and academic impacts to the victims (Ryan and Curwen,
2013).
Children tend to acquire improper knowledge online. In the research by (Strand, 2002), the
results showed that there is a correlation between internet violence and aggressive behavior in
children. The research also states that children have difficulty differentiating reality and fantasy.
Other improper knowledge acquired by children includes, smoking, drug abuse and trafficking
(Lavarinis, 2009).
This situation calls for attention for protection of children participating in the online
environment. However, research regarding online child protection is still in its nascent stage.
This indicates that there is a dearth of knowledge to guide online child protection. This is even
more relevant to Tanzania. In Tanzania, limited information is available regarding online child
protection.
This research paper will assist to address a question: What are the risks that impact children
behavior when unguided in the online environment.

3. Research Objectives
3.1 General Objective
The general objective of the study is to assess the risks that impact children behavior when
unguided in the online environment

3.2 Specific objectives

1. To assess the impact of sexual harassment to the children behavior when unguided in the
online environment
2. To assess the impact of acquisition of improper knowledge on children behavior when
unguided in the online environment

3. To assess the impact of online bullying to childrens behavior when unguided in the
online environment

4. Research hypotheses
The research hypotheses that will be tested in the course of implementing this
research are highlighted below:

1. There is a direct correlation between improper acquisition of knowledge and negative

behavior in children
2. There is a direct correlation between cyber bullying and how children behave socially
3. There is a correlation between sexual harassment and behavioral problems in children

5. Significance of the study

The findings from this research will provide a new understanding of the risks associated with
childrens unguided in the online environment from a developing countrys perspective. It will
also raise awareness both on the parts of the children and the adults on the various risks that
associated in the online environment. It will provide useful information that can be used by
societies from the developing world in protecting the youth actively involved in online
environment from the threats posed therefrom.
Furthermore, stakeholders from the government agencies, practitioners, policy makers, NGOs,
community groups will be able to gain useful information that can be used to create or vouch for
the creation of favorable policies that will protect the youth from destruction that can be caused
by online environment. This, is believed will ultimately benefit the public in general.

6. Limitations of the study

As a result of digital divide most of children who own ICT devices are those from well off
families who are mostly found in private schools .This reduces the sample size since the required
data will be mostly found from the private schools. Moreover, there is a limited literature in
Tanzania in respect of the topic of children accessing online content thus posing a challenge on
the starting point for the researchers.