• The government has launched its own game application for children in a bid to counter incidents of cyber-crimes against children due to dangerous games like ‘blue whale’ and ‘momo’ challenges.

Background:

• Known as the ‘cyber trivia’ app, it would include a set of multiple-choice questions which will help the kids learn ways to deal with strangers on the internet, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said.
• It is an attempt to teach these children in a fun way, what should be done if they are contacted by a stranger on the Internet who might ask for their pictures or ask them to do things
• The game has been developed amid rising cases of suicide by children due to challenges like ‘blue whale’ and ‘momo’. It will soon be available on online stores.
• The children these days outsmart even their parents. They do not understand the dangers the cyber world poses and online games would be really effective. That is the reason we decided to develop this game
• A child psychologist, said that the app is based on behaviour modification technique. “We use a system of rewards and punishments to encourage positive behaviour and discourage negative behaviour. It is a standard technique of behaviour modification therapy”. She said the game might interest younger children but to capture the interest of teenagers it needs to evolve.

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR):

• The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) emphasizes the principle of universality and inviolability of child rights and recognizes the tone of urgency in all the child related policies of the country.
• For the Commission, protection of all children in the 0 to 18 years age group is of equal importance. Thus, policies define priority actions for the most vulnerable children. This includes focus on regions that are backward or on communities or children under certain circumstances, and so on.
• The NCPCR believes that while in addressing only some children, there could be a fallacy of exclusion of many vulnerable children who may not fall under the defined or targeted categories.