Internet Society Ghana launches national online safety outreach in Ashanti Region

Internet Society Ghana Chapter (ISOC Ghana) officially launched its National Online Safety Outreach in the Ashanti Region, marking the beginning of a nationwide campaign. The first phase of the outreach was launched on the campus of Kumasi Technical Institute, targeting all 22 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions across the Ashanti Region. The campaign, themed "Building Digital Trust, Safety and Resilience for Everyone", seeks to equip students, teachers, and community members with practical skills to navigate the digital space safely, identify online threats, and protect their personal information. Maud Adjeley Ashong-Elliott, President of ISOC Ghana, stated that the decision to begin with TVET institutions was deliberate because technical students are among the most active users of digital tools for learning and entrepreneurship.

As part of the outreach, ISOC Ghana facilitators took students through key topics including phishing, online fraud, cyberbullying, digital footprint, and data privacy. Madam Ashong-Elliott expressed concern about the increasing rate of social media addiction among Ghanaian youth and its mixed effects. She noted, "We have taken note of how a lot of Ghanaian youth have become addicted to social media. Some of the influence has been positive in terms of learning and business. But a lot of it has also been negative misinformation, cyberbullying, scams, and exposure to harmful content..."