The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has launched a sustained campaign to improve children’s safety online after a survey of more than 5,700 students at Kololo Senior Secondary School found that 88.5 percent had experienced digital harm.
The findings presented on Wednesday during the launch of the Child Online Protection Campaign show that while 98.4 percent of the students know how to use the internet, many have encountered cyberbullying, misinformation and hate speech.
The survey also found that 70.1 percent of the students had been exposed to sexual messages, images or videos.
Of those who experienced online harm, 74.2 percent said they did not tell anyone about it, including their parents.
More than a third of the students surveyed also reported spending more than four hours online each day, while about 73 percent of parents were aware of their children’s online activities.
Presenting the findings, UCC Director of Economic Regulation, Content and Consumer Affairs, Julianne Rwakakoko Mweheire, said the failure to report online abuse makes it difficult for children to receive protection.
“Children, you are exposed, but you are largely silent. That silence is a danger. A child who will not report abuse cannot be protected,” Mweheire said.
The campaign, launched in partnership with the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, will include student awareness programmes, parent education, regulatory enforcement and collaboration among institutions involved in child protection.
UCC Executive Director George William Nyombi Thembo said the campaign is not intended to discourage children from using the internet but to help them use it safely.
“The question is not whether children should use the Internet. They already do. The question is how we make they can learn, connect, create and have fun online without being exposed to avoidable harm,” Nyombi Thembo said.
He urged students to think before posting information online, protect their personal information, exercise caution when interacting with people online, avoid cyberbullying and seek help when they encounter abuse.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, Dr Amina Zawedde, who represented the Minister, said child protection measures need to keep pace with changes in the digital environment.
She urged parents, schools, technology companies and Government to play their part in creating safer online spaces, while encouraging children to use the internet responsibly and productively.“Children should not be kept out of the digital world; they should be equipped to navigate it safely,” Zawedde said.
UCC said the campaign will be extended beyond the launch through the Schools Awareness Assembly Programme and parent education seminars.
More than 100 schools are expected to be reached during the initial phase.
The campaign will bring together government agencies, law enforcement agencies, civil society organisations and technology companies.
UCC said the initiative will also involve enforcement of existing laws and regulations relating to online abuse and the protection of children.
The Computer Misuse Act, as amended, contains offences relating to cyber harassment and child pornography, while the Data Protection and Privacy Act provides safeguards for personal information.
UCC has also developed a Child Online Protection Regulatory Framework for 2026 to guide its work on emerging online risks.
The regulator says parents and teachers also need to understand the digital platforms and services being used by children so that they can identify risks and support children who experience abuse.
The campaign comes as internet access among children continues to increase, with UCC using the findings from Kololo Senior Secondary School to highlight the risks children face alongside the benefits of digital access-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
