In today’s world, the Internet has become a regular part of our youth’s life. Forward-thinking teachers can no longer ignore the incredible potential of utilizing Web 2.0 tools and social media in an educational context. Embracing the possibilities of online interaction is one of the steps towards raising technologically savvy adults, but for this to happen responsibly, it is imperative that we consider the issue of online safety and privacy. Teaching young children to behave responsibly online can be a difficult task due to the serious and often dry nature of the subject matter. Literature in the field demonstrates the importance of taking a different approach when teaching young ones how to become better digital citizens. This project addresses this issue as it offers a response to the critical question, ‘How can intermediate teachers effectively reach their students and inform them about online safety, privacy and citizenship in a fun and engaging way?’ The ensuing eWarrior workshop was developed as a blended learning opportunity composed of a child-friendly website populated by lighthearted characters and an accompanying workbook. Through a series of varied and interactive hands-on tasks, the eWarrior crew guides students in a quest towards better digital citizenship so that they too may become eWarriors. Activities align with the BC Ministry of Education’s Grades 3 to 6 Curriculum as well as with the Core Competencies for those grades. Several printable materials are available as well as a walkthrough guide for teachers. Initial feedback was very positive, with respondents asserting they believed the website and activities had met the goals of the project, and many teachers hoping to try the workshop with their classes in the coming year.
With the rise of digital technology and massive migration to the internet for daily activities, personal data of children is being breached on a large scale by schools, government, online platforms and even parents. It has been estimated that approximately one in three users of the Internet worldwide are under the age of eighteen. In addition to being increasingly active online, children also continue to depend on the Internet for a variety of uses such as play, communication and education. This implies that data belonging to children are frequently being collected through the use of gadgets, applications, and websites, and are sometimes sold or used for criminal activities. Several guidelines regarding children's online data protection have emerged globally such as the United States’ Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule ("COPPA"), United Kingdom’s ICO Children's Code (or Age Appropriate Design Code), and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). However, there was no adequate provision for the protection of children’s data in Nigeria until the enactment of the Nigeria Data Protection Act which is a step in the right direction, but is not without its flaws. This paper seeks to determine the adequacy of the legal frameworks generally in Nigeria to deal with child data breaches. It takes a comparative approach by analysing several legal frameworks in other jurisdictions, and proffers recommendations including amendment of legislations, online safety measures and awareness, privacy and data protection by design approaches for companies and adequate parental control measures.
Artykuł prezentuje kwestie bezpieczeństwa dzieci i młodzieży w przestrzeni wirtualnej. Dorośli są zobowiązani do zapewnienia młodemu pokoleniu bezpieczeństwa w różnych wymiarach, zarówno w tradycyjnej przestrzeni społecznej jak i w przestrzeni wirtualnej (cyberprzestrzeni). Współcześnie, młodzi ludzie, dla których media cyfrowe są nieodłącznym elementem ich codzienności, są narażeni na wiele niebezpieczeństw napływających z cyberprzestrzeni. W artykule zaprezentowano przykłady działań profilaktycznych i edukacyjnych, które należy podejmować, aby zapewnić młodemu pokoleniu bezpieczne funkcjonowanie w świecie realnym i wirtualnym. Omawiane kwestie poruszane są w kontekście interdyscyplinarnym.
BACKGROUND: Recently, we found that a new malaria vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, had over 75% efficacy against clinical malaria with seasonal administration in a phase 2b trial in Burkina Faso. Here, we report on safety and efficacy of the vaccine in a phase 3 trial enrolling over 4800 children across four countries followed for up to 18 months at seasonal sites and 12 months at standard sites. METHODS: We did a double-blind, randomised, phase 3 trial of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine across five sites in four African countries with differing malaria transmission intensities and seasonality. Children (aged 5-36 months) were enrolled and randomly assigned (2:1) to receive 5 μg R21 plus 50 μg Matrix-M or a control vaccine (licensed rabies vaccine [Abhayrab]). Participants, their families, investigators, laboratory teams, and the local study team were masked to treatment. Vaccines were administered as three doses, 4 weeks apart, with a booster administered 12 months after the third dose. Half of the children were recruited at two sites with seasonal malaria transmission and the remainder at standard sites with perennial malaria transmission using age-based immunisation. The primary objective was protective efficacy of R21/Matrix-M from 14 days after third vaccination to 12 months after completion of the primary series at seasonal and standard sites separately as co-primary endpoints. Vaccine efficacy against multiple malaria episodes and severe malaria, as well as safety and immunogenicity, were also assessed. This trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04704830, and is ongoing. FINDINGS: From April 26, 2021, to Jan 12, 2022, 5477 children consented to be screened, of whom 1705 were randomly assigned to control vaccine and 3434 to R21/Matrix-M; 4878 participants received the first dose of vaccine. 3103 participants in the R21/Matrix-M group and 1541 participants in the control group were included in the modified per-protocol analysis (2412 [51·9%] male and 2232 [48·1%] female). R21/Matrix-M vaccine was well tolerated, with injection site pain (301 [18·6%] of 1615 participants) and fever (754 [46·7%] of 1615 participants) as the most frequent adverse events. Number of adverse events of special interest and serious adverse events did not significantly differ between the vaccine groups. There were no treatment-related deaths. 12-month vaccine efficacy was 75% (95% CI 71-79; p<0·0001) at the seasonal sites and 68% (61-74; p<0·0001) at the standard sites for time to first clinical malaria episode. Similarly, vaccine efficacy against multiple clinical malaria episodes was 75% (71-78; p<0·0001) at the seasonal sites and 67% (59-73; p<0·0001) at standard sites. A modest reduction in vaccine efficacy was observed over the first 12 months of follow-up, of similar size at seasonal and standard sites. A rate reduction of 868 (95% CI 762-974) cases per 1000 children-years at seasonal sites and 296 (231-362) at standard sites occurred over 12 months. Vaccine-induced antibodies against the conserved central Asn-Ala-Asn-Pro (NANP) repeat sequence of circumsporozoite protein correlated with vaccine efficacy. Higher NANP-specific antibody titres were observed in the 5-17 month age group compared with 18-36 month age group, and the younger age group had the highest 12-month vaccine efficacy on time to first clinical malaria episode at seasonal (79% [95% CI 73-84]; p<0·001) and standard (75% [65-83]; p<0·001) sites. INTERPRETATION: R21/Matrix-M was well tolerated and offered high efficacy against clinical malaria in African children. This low-cost, high-efficacy vaccine is already licensed by several African countries, and recently received a WHO policy recommendation and prequalification, offering large-scale supply to help reduce the great burden of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. FUNDING: The Serum Institute of India, the Wellcome Trust, the UK National Institute for Health Research Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, and Open Philanthropy.
Mehreen S. Datoo, Alassane Dicko, Halidou Tinto et al.
BACKGROUND: Treatment options for peanut allergy are limited. In previous clinical trials, epicutaneous immunotherapy with a patch containing 250-μg peanut protein (Viaskin Peanut 250 μg [VP250]) was well tolerated and statistically superior to placebo in desensitizing peanut-allergic children. OBJECTIVE: To examine the safety of VP250 in children, using a study design approximating potential real-world use. METHODS: REAL LIfe Use and Safety of EPIT (REALISE) is a phase 3 multicenter study consisting of a 6-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled period followed by open-label active treatment. Children aged 4 to 11 years with physician diagnosis of peanut allergy received daily treatment with placebo (6 months) or VP250 (up to 36 months). Data from the 6-month, randomized, controlled phase of REALISE are reported. RESULTS: Three hundred ninety-three children were randomized 3:1 to receive VP250 (n = 294) or placebo (n = 99) for 6 months; 284 (72.3%) children had a history of peanut anaphylaxis. According to parent diary, all participants receiving VP250 and 83.8% receiving placebo reported at least 1 episode of local skin reaction, with frequency decreasing over time. Only 4 participants (1.4%) receiving VP250 discontinued because of adverse events (AEs). Epinephrine was administered for allergic reactions attributed to VP250 in 7 children (2.4%), of whom 5 remained in the study; none involved severe anaphylaxis. Overall, AE rates were similar among participants with and without a history of peanut anaphylaxis. CONCLUSIONS: In a study designed to mirror real-world use, VP250 was observed to be well tolerated in peanut-allergic children, consistent with previous phase 2b and 3 studies.
Jacqueline A. Pongracic, Rémi Gagnon, Gordon Lloyd Sussman et al.
The application of road safety games has progressed as an interactive approach for disseminating information to children in reducing the probability of accidents. To investigate progress achieved in this domain, a comprehensive thematic evaluation has been undertaken with the objective of discerning recurring patterns and emerging trends in the extant body of literature. The review's implementation has been structured according to a sequential process consisting of four primary stages: identification, screening, eligibility evaluation, and analysis. A thorough investigation of electronic databases was conducted, followed by a meticulous review, resulting in the inclusion of 21 relevant papers. The results indicate that a wide variety of gaming genres and platforms were utilized, including driving simulations, mobile applications, and web-based games. The examination of the efficacy of road safety games includes various indications of outcomes, including upgrades in knowledge, adjustments in behavior, and levels of involvement. The concept of road safety encompasses a wide range of topics and issues, such as hazard perception, pedestrian safety, bicycle and motorcycle safety, knowledge of speed limits, understanding of traffic signs and signals, avoidance of distracted driving, application of defensive driving techniques, and compliance with seat belt usage. This implies that it is advisable to use caution when choosing road safety themes, considering their pertinence, influence, and ability to successfully tackle specific challenges and improve road safety outcomes.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Disseminated BCGitis is a rare but serious complication of BCG vaccine in patients with underlying primary immunodeficiency. Fluoroquinolone antibiotics containing antimycobacterial regimen have been considered in the treatment of disseminated BCGitis, but there are limited data about the dosing, safety, and tolerability of fluoroquinolone such as moxifloxacin in children. The aim of this study was to report the experience with the dosing, safety, and tolerability of moxifloxacin in children with disseminated BCGitis. METHOD: This retrospective descriptive study included children who had been diagnosed with disseminated BCGitis and treated with an antimycobacterial regimen including moxifloxacin for more than two weeks from 2007 to 2017 at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. RESULT: Ten children were included: six (60.0%) were male and four (40.0%) were female. The primary diagnosis for five patients was Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial diseases (MSMD), four patients were diagnosed with severe combined immune deficiency (SCID), and the remaining patient had human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The overall mean duration of moxifloxacin treatment was 10.1 months. Liver toxicity was recorded in three patients. The most common medications used with moxifloxacin were ethambutol and clarithromycin. Moxifloxacin serum concentration level was determined in 5 patients. No musculoskeletal side effects were reported while the patient was on moxifloxacin. The treated patients showed a different response to an antimycobacterial regimen including moxifloxacin, with mortality in two patients. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that moxifloxacin is generally tolerated in children and might be considered in disseminated BCGitis cases. Additionally, paying attention to side effects such as liver toxicity is recommended, particularly with the use of other antimycobacterial antibiotics, which could also be hepatotoxic. A moxifloxacin-containing regimen for disseminated BCGitis showed clinical improvement in some patients in this study, although the majority presented the same clinical condition.
Mohammed Alsuhaibani, Ghada Felimban, Mohamed M. Shoukri et al.
BACKGROUND: The treatment of latent infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis is important in children because of their vulnerability to life-threatening forms of tuberculosis disease. The current standard treatment - 9 months of isoniazid - has been associated with poor adherence and toxic effects, which have hampered the effectiveness of the drug. In adults, treatment with 4 months of rifampin has been shown to be safer and to have higher completion rates than 9 months of isoniazid. METHODS: In this multicenter, open-label trial, we randomly assigned 844 children (<18 years of age) with latent M. tuberculosis infection to receive either 4 months of rifampin or 9 months of isoniazid. The primary outcome was adverse events of grade 1 to 5 that resulted in the permanent discontinuation of a trial drug. Secondary outcomes were treatment adherence, side-effect profile, and efficacy. Independent review panels whose members were unaware of trial-group assignments adjudicated all adverse events and progression to active tuberculosis. RESULTS: Of the children who underwent randomization, 829 were eligible for inclusion in the modified intention-to-treat analysis. A total of 360 of 422 children (85.3%) in the rifampin group completed per-protocol therapy, as compared with 311 of 407 (76.4%) in the isoniazid group (adjusted difference in the rates of treatment completion, 13.4 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 7.5 to 19.3). There were no significant between-group differences in the rates of adverse events, with fewer than 5% of the children in the combined groups with grade 1 or 2 adverse events that were deemed to be possibly related to a trial drug. Active tuberculosis, including 1 case with resistance to isoniazid, was diagnosed in 2 children in the isoniazid group during 542 person-years of follow-up, as compared with no cases in the rifampin group during 562 person-years (rate difference, -0.37 cases per 100 person-years; 95% CI, -0.88 to 0.14). CONCLUSIONS: Among children under the age of 18 years, treatment with 4 months of rifampin had similar rates of safety and efficacy but a better rate of adherence than 9 months of treatment with isoniazid. (Funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00170209 .).
Thierno Diallo, Mênonli Adjobimey, Rovina Ruslami et al.
Abstract There is a broad consensus that unregulated use of social media causes harm to children. With the advent of digital platforms, social media reach is quickly evolving, and there is no escaping the incessant need to be online. As the threat of harms caused by social media has gained regulatory attention, taking effect from 10 December 2025, the Australian government banned the use of social media for children under 16 years of age through the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024. This ban formalized a shift to access-based systemic duty from the erstwhile content-based regulation prevalent across the world. Seemingly extreme, this blanket ban is a primary foray into making the online world a safe place, especially for Australian children. This complication is of concern because the blanket ban has received criticism from not only the industry but also researchers and academics. This article provides a statutory review of online safety provisions and demonstrates that this age-based restriction is not an ad hoc measure but a logical culmination of a decade of legislative development. Contrary to regulatory fragmentation, the series of legislation adopted since 2015 facilitates the transition from voluntary guidelines to heavy civil liability. This is accomplished through the incorporation of continuity of office for the Commissioner and a streamlined penalty system. This statutory framework serves as a template for international efforts geared towards a systems-based approach that acknowledges the need for social media service providers to continually strive towards making their platforms as safe as possible. An overarching digital duty of care ought to replace reactive measures that address abuse only after it has occurred, as they fail to address the root cause. The proposed digital duty of care is placed on the online service providers who operate at an advantage vis-à-vis the end-users reporting harm.
The internet has provided immense benefits to society, but it has also posed significant risks, particularly for children. Child exploitation and privacy risks associated with digital technology have become a growing concern, as predators have found ways to exploit the anonymity of the internet to target vulnerable children. This paper presents an overview of the challenges and strategies for taking a proactive approach to child safety online, with a focus on online child exploitation and the risks associated with day-care and school journaling apps, online gaming, social media and messaging apps.
