In Vietnam, protecting children online becomes more urgent than ever: opinion

The debate is no longer about whether children should use the Internet, but how to ensure their safety in an environment full of opportunities and risks.

Online platforms not merely provide learning and social connections but also expose children to cyberbullying, scams, harmful content, exploitation, and addiction.

UNICEF has cautioned that while technology may be virtual, the harm children suffer is very real.

A single insult online can be repeated endlessly, an image once shared may never disappear, and a seemingly harmless chat can become the start of manipulation.

Children often enter this world without the skills to protect themselves against curiosity and peer influence.

Meanwhile, platforms are designed to keep users engaged, creating loops of interaction that are difficult even for adults to manage.

Excessive Internet use can affect concentration, behavior, emotions, brain development, and social skills.

While some parents call for bans on social media use among children, international experience shows prohibitions are rarely effective.

Children often bypass restrictions, use adult accounts, or migrate to less regulated platforms, pushing risks into darker corners.

Experts argued that the core issue is not whether children use the Internet, but how they use it and whether they are adequately prepared.

The largest gap today lies not in access to technology, but in the ability to utilize it safely.

Many children spend hours online every day but lack the skills to recognize threats, protect themselves, or seek help when problems arise.

At the same time, many parents and teachers struggle to keep pace with the rapidly changing digital environment. This creates gaps in guidance and supervision, leaving children without consistent support.

Protecting children online requires a multi-layered approach involving families, schools, technology companies, and government agencies.

Families must establish rules, maintain open dialogue, and build trust so children share problems instead of hiding them.

Schools should integrate digital literacy into curricula, while tech firms must take responsibility and create safer platforms, age-appropriate content, stronger reporting tools, and parental controls.

Meanwhile, government agencies must continue refining legal frameworks, strengthening monitoring systems, and providing support for victims.

Vietnam has made progress in building child protection systems online and joining international initiatives, but rapid technological change demands constant updates.

Ultimately, the focus must shift from restriction to empowerment.

Children cannot be separated from the digital world, but they can be prepared to navigate it safely.

As online spaces continue to expand and children spend increasing amounts of time within them, the priority is not preventing access but ensuring they are protected from harm. 

This challenge, many experts warned, can no longer be ignored.

* This article was originally written in Vietnamese by journalist Luu Dinh Long and translated by Tuoi Tre News.