Fantasy world

World Information Society Day is celebrated each year on 17 May to remind the world of the vision of the World Summit on the Information Society to build “a people-centered, inclusive and development-oriented information society” based on fundamental human rights.

Background

The annual observance of World Telecommunication Day, which marks the founding of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on May 17, 1865, drew attention to the work of ITU and the challenges of global communication. In March 2006, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed May 17 as World Information Society Day to recognize the efforts made to advance communication and ITU’s role in helping people connect around the world. The UN’s first World Information Society Day took place on Wednesday, 17 May 2006.

Prior to World Information Society Day, World Telecommunication Day, which was first held in 1969, was celebrated on May 17 by people and organizations such as ITU. Many now refer to this day as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, taking into account the UN’s observance of World Information Society Day. The purpose of this observance is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the internet and other information and communication technologies could bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.

Theme WTISD 2009: Protecting Children in Cyberspace.


This year, to mark World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, ITU Council adopted the theme: “Protecting children in cyberspace”.

At WSIS, ITU was entrusted by leaders of the international community with Action Line C5: “building confidence and security in the use of ICTs”. The WSIS outcomes also specifically recognized the needs of children and young people and their protection in cyberspace. The Tunis Commitment recognized “the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the protection of children and in enhancing the development of children” as well as the need to “strengthen action to protect children from abuse and defend their rights in the context of ICT”.

ITU’s Child Online Protection (COP) initiative is in line with its mandate to establish the foundations for a safe and secure cyberworld for future generations. The need for COP is clear. A decade ago, there were just 182 million people using the Internet globally — and almost all of them lived in the developed world. By early 2009, however, there were over 1.5 billion Internet users worldwide, and more than 400 million of them had access to broadband. With over 600 million users in Asia, 130 million in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 50 million in Africa, the Internet is a growing common resource — vastly increasing the dangers online, especially for children.

According to recent surveys, over 60 per cent of children and teenagers talk in chat rooms on a daily basis. Three in four children online are willing to share personal information about themselves and their family in exchange for goods and services. And one in five children will be targeted by a predator or paedophile each year. The COP initiative — an integral part of ITU’s Global Cybersecurity Agenda — was presented at the High Level Segment of ITU Council 2008, where it was endorsed by Heads of State, Ministers and heads of international organizations from around the world.


The theme of this year’s WTISD aims at ensuring that children can safely access the Internet and its valuable resources without fear of falling prey to unscrupulous predators in cyberspace.

What do people do?

World Information Society Day promotes people’s awareness of the power of information and communication to build societies in which they can create, access, use and share information and knowledge to achieve their full potential. Organizations such as UNESCO actively take part in the day by inviting people to engage in various activities to promote campaigns centered on this event.

Symbols

UNESCO has not allocated a specific symbol for the day, although it uses images of modern information and communication technologies to portray the importance of the day.

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, 17 May 2009
Message from Mr Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General


World Telecommunication and Information Society Day marks the founding of the International Telecommunication Union on 17 May 1865, and commemorates its role in connecting the world.

Protecting children in cyberspace.
Over the past two decades, the Internet has been transformed into an unmatched global resource that spans the worlds of knowledge and entertainment. Now with more than 600 million users in Asia, 130 million in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 50 million in Africa, it is an ever-expanding means of communication. It lies at the fulcrum of our increasingly interconnected and networked societies, driving the world’s economies, fostering trade and commerce and promoting better health care, food production and education. With these tremendous strides, safeguarding the Internet’s vital systems and infrastructures against attack by cybercriminals has taken on great importance.

The theme of this year’s observance is "Protecting Children in Cyberspace”. Children and young people are among the most prolific users of the Internet and mobile devices. As they surf through cyberspace seeking information and entertainment and building social networks, they are also among the most vulnerable to exploitation. Without safeguards, their precious lives are at grave risk in the vicious world of cybercriminals and paedophiles that prey on easy targets.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes the right to education and access to information, as well as the right to engage in play and recreational activities. The Convention also accords the child protection against all forms of exploitation and inducement to engage in any unlawful activity. It is our duty to ensure that the provisions of the Convention are applied rigorously so that children can safely access the Internet and other online resources without fear of falling prey to unscrupulous predators.

The virtual world has exciting possibilities for nurturing children and helping them grow into creative, productive adults. But we must mind the pitfalls that could scar them for life. I urge policy makers and industry leaders to find the means to make the rapidly evolving virtual world safe for everyone.

Ban Ki-moon
UN Secretary-General