MOI urges parents to guide children, strengthen online safeguards and promote responsible digital behaviour.

As children spend more time online for learning, entertainment and communication, Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior is urging parents to play an active role in protecting them from digital threats through awareness, guidance and open communication.

The Ministry’s Child Protection in Cyberspace Unit has issued practical safety guidelines to help families create a safer online environment while encouraging children to use technology responsibly.

The unit stressed that safeguarding children in cyberspace is a shared responsibility, encouraging parents to stay informed about their children's digital activities and maintain regular conversations about their online experiences.

Among the key recommendations is enabling privacy settings on devices, applications and social media platforms to protect children's personal information. Parents are also encouraged to use parental control features to ensure age-appropriate access to online content.

The ministry further advised teaching children to create strong passwords and never share them with others. It also urged parents to educate young users about the dangers of communicating with strangers or accepting friend requests from unknown people online.

Parents are encouraged to talk regularly with their children about their online experiences, listen to their concerns and foster an environment where they feel comfortable reporting anything that makes them uneasy.

The guidelines also recommend setting reasonable screen time limits to promote a healthy balance between digital activities, rest and everyday life. Families are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the apps, games and websites their children use to better understand potential online risks.

Children are also advised not to click on suspicious links or download files from unknown sources, as these may expose their devices to malware, scams or harmful content.

The Ministry emphasised that creating a safer digital environment requires cooperation between parents, children and authorities, with awareness remaining the first line of defence against cyber risks.

Beyond issuing safety guidance, the Ministry is also adopting innovative ways to educate children about online risks. As reported by TDT earlier this month, through the "Together" Digital Summer Program, students are learning about cybersecurity and responsible digital behaviour through interactive lessons delivered on the popular gaming platform Roblox.