Strangers Try to Strike Up Acquaintance with 75% of Young Internet Users

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 8, ARMENPRESS: The information technology, like any progress, has some dangers. Grigor Barseghyan, head of Microsoft office in Armenia, said today at a meeting with journalists that 3 years ago upon the initiative of the European Parliament, February 8 was declared Safer Internet Day. Armenia celebrates Safer Internet Day as well. The slogan of this year’s festive initiative is ‘Not Game, But Life’. If the rules of this game are not broken, dangers will not be available.

According to the statistics, provided by Grigor Barseghyan, strangers try to strike up acquaintance with 75% of young users of social networks and other services of the internet. 37% of them respond to the requests by strangers and 10 % appear in a serious danger. Grigor Barseghyan says Microsoft office in Armenia decided to announce a month of safer internet. Within the framework of the month, 7 workers of the company will meet with schoolchildren of various schools of the republic.

According to Hasmik Ghukasyan, World Vision representative, expert on education, World Vision’s 11 territorial development centers, which act in 6 provinces of the republic, have 25 partner-schools, where meetings with children, their parents and teachers are held regularly. During the meetings they provide information on the internet sites.

A competition was organized within the framework of the program. 100 schoolchildren partook in it and 60 videos were presented. The results have already been concluded and 40 works won. According to the speakers, the competition was another step to help children be aware of the internet dangers. The organizers say they are sure this method is more efficient than one-sided meetings.