MOI campaign targets youth amid rising social media influence
The campaign covers six main areas: traffic safety, juvenile protection, drug prevention, cybersecurity, protection against intellectual extremism, and environmental awareness.
The Ministry of Interior has launched a ‘Prevention and Safety’ campaign with a strong focus on protecting children and young people from extremist ideas and harmful online influence at a time when use of smart devices and social media continues to grow.
The campaign, launched at the start of the new academic year, aims to strengthen security awareness among students while helping families and schools identify and prevent risks facing young people.
Colonel Othman Gharib, Director of the Public Relations Department at the Ministry of Interior, said the campaign focuses on awareness and prevention, alongside a stronger security presence around schools and on roads to ensure the safety of students.
Speaking on the radio programme ‘On Air’, Col Gharib said the campaign goes beyond the traditional focus on traffic safety and addresses a wider range of security concerns affecting children and adolescents. The campaign covers six main areas: traffic safety, juvenile protection, drug prevention, cybersecurity, protection against intellectual extremism, and environmental awareness.
These areas were selected to address risks that children and young people may face at different stages of their lives. The campaign targets elementary, middle and high school students, as well as parents and educational institutions, with the aim of strengthening cooperation between families, schools and security authorities.
Col Gharib placed particular emphasis on intellectual extremism and the growing influence of smart devices and social media on children and young people. He said children need to be taught how to use modern technology safely and should be protected from individuals or groups seeking to influence or exploit them.
He also stressed the importance of protecting society from extremist ideas and hate speech while promoting patriotism, national belonging and respect for the law. “Protecting young people is a shared responsibility,” Gharib said, stressing that families, schools, security agencies and the wider community all have a role to play in preventing harmful influences.
The Ministry of Interior is coordinating with the ministries of Information and Education to expand the campaign and reach as many students and members of the public as possible.
Participating authorities have also begun visiting schools to introduce students to the campaign’s objectives and provide direct awareness messages. Activities and gifts are being used to encourage student participation and make the campaign’s messages more accessible to young audiences.
