Under the auspices of the Ministry of Social Development and Family, the Protection and Social Rehabilitation Centre (Aman), one of the centers affiliated with the Qatar Foundation for Social Work, has joined the national digital safety campaign “Digitally Aware Family”, under the slogan “Protecting Them Is Your Responsibility”, with the participation of 20 national entities. The campaign forms part of concerted efforts to promote community awareness of the safe use of technology and protect family members, particularly children and young people, from risks associated with the digital environment.

The nationwide campaign coincides with a period of tremendous growth in the use of digital platforms and technology, as well as their increasing influence on family life. It seeks to establish digital safety as a shared duty, bolster the role of families in safeguarding their children, increase knowledge of digital hazards and preventative measures, and promote responsible and constructive technology use. Additionally, the campaign seeks to equip parents and children with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the digital world safely, promote family dialogue on online practices, safeguard privacy and personal data, and facilitate the early identification of risks. In addition, it seeks to foster a culture of seeking assistance and reporting incidents when individuals are exposed to any threat, abuse, or extortion through technological means. The participation of national entities in the campaign underscores the importance of partnership and institutional integration in addressing digital challenges through a range of activities, programs, and awareness-raising content targeting families, children, and young people, thereby contributing to the development of a more informed and secure community culture in the use of technology.

Aman Centre’s participation in the national campaign stems from its mandate in the field of protection and social rehabilitation and its prevention- and empowerment-based approach. Through its participation, the Centre focuses on raising awareness of the risks of technological extortion and strengthening the ability of children, young people, and families to identify unsafe digital behaviors and respond to them appropriately. As part of its participation, Aman Centre will disseminate a series of awareness messages and videos through its official social media accounts. Using a clear and accessible approach, these materials will address a range of topics related to digital safety, including the protection of privacy and personal data, exercising caution when sharing images and information, and using online accounts, links, and content responsibly and with due awareness. They will also address the methods used in technological extortion and the appropriate steps to take when confronted with such incidents.

Aman Centre will also conduct awareness workshops in schools on technological extortion. The workshops will seek to enhance students’ understanding of the concept of extortion, its methods and various forms, and to familiarize them with preventive measures and appropriate behaviors when confronted with any unsafe digital situation.

In this context, Mr. Fadl Mohammed Al Kaabi, Acting Executive Director of the Protection and Social Rehabilitation Centre (Aman), stated that the Centre’s participation in the campaign is an extension of its efforts to promote proactive prevention. He noted that protecting children and young people in the digital environment has become an integral part of the social protection system, particularly in light of the rapid pace of technological advancement witnessed worldwide. In this regard, the national “Digitally Aware Family” campaign plays an important role in unifying national efforts and reinforcing the shared responsibility of families, institutions, and society in creating a safer digital environment.

He further affirmed that, at Aman Centre, “we believe that protection begins with awareness and prevention before harm occurs.” Accordingly, through its participation, the Centre seeks to equip children, young people, and families with the knowledge and skills that enable them to identify digital risks at an early stage, particularly technological extortion, and to respond to such risks in an informed and safe manner. He also emphasized the importance of integrating the roles of families, schools, national institutions, and the media in promoting digital safety. Such integration contributes to building sustainable community awareness and strengthening children’s and young people’s ability to benefit from technology in a safer and more responsible environment, because protecting them is a responsibility we all share. “Protection is our mission, and safety is our goal”.

Ms. Hanan Al Ali, Director of the Communication and Media Office at Aman Centre, emphasized that participation in the national campaign is based on combining digital communication with direct awareness-raising. She explained that the Centre has sought to ensure that the campaign’s messages reach the public through multiple channels by disseminating a series of short and accessible awareness messages and videos across social media platforms, while also taking awareness efforts into the field through awareness workshops for school and kindergarten students on technological extortion, tailored to their respective age groups. The workshops are designed to help children understand how to protect themselves, enable families to understand how to support them, and ensure that everyone knows when and how to seek assistance when exposed to any digital threat.

كما أكد أننا في مركز أمان نؤمن بأن الحماية تبدأ بالوعي والوقاية قبل وقوع الضرر؛ لذلك نحرص من خلال مشاركتنا على تمكين الأطفال والناشئة والأسر من المعرفة والمهارات التي تساعدهم على التعرف المبكر على المخاطر الرقمية، وخاصة الابتزاز التكنولوجي، والتعامل معها بطريقة واعية وآمنة. كما نؤكد على أهمية تكامل أدوار الأسرة والمدرسة والمؤسسات الوطنية والإعلام في تعزيز السلامة الرقمية، بما يسهم في بناء وعي مجتمعي مستدام، ويعزز قدرة الأطفال والناشئة على الاستفادة من التكنولوجيا في بيئة أكثر أمانًا ومسؤولية، لأن حمايتهم مسؤوليتنا جميعًا، فالحماية رسالتنا والأمان غايتنا.

ومن جانبها أكدت السيدة حنان العلي مدير مكتب الاتصال والإعلام بمركز أمان أن المشاركة في الحملة الوطنية تعتمد على الجمع بين الاتصال الرقمي والتوعية المباشرة، فحرصنا على أن تصل رسائل الحملة إلى الجمهور عبر أكثر من قناة لبث سلسلة من الرسائل والفيديوهات التوعوية القصيرة والمبسطة عبر منصات التواصل الاجتماعي ، وبالتوعية إلى الميدان من خلال تقديم الورش التوعوية لطلاب المدارس ورياض الأطفال حول الابتزاز التكنولوجي بما يتناسب مع الفئة العمرية ،بحيث يعرف الطفل كيف يحمي نفسه، وتعرف الأسرة كيف تسانده، ويعرف الجميع متى وكيف يطلبون المساعدة عند التعرض لأي خطر رقمي.