Maharashtra leads in rate of internet consumption among children

Adolescents (14-18 years) exhibited the highest internet usage

Goal is to raise awareness, promote safe and responsible use of internet

According to a report by Child Rights and You (CRY), a non-governmental organization focusing on child rights, Maharashtra leads in the rate of internet consumption among children.

The study titled “POCSO and Beyond: Understanding Online Safety during COVID, 2023” revealed that Maharashtra has the highest average internet consumption in India across all age groups, followed by West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka.

When examining specific age categories, adolescents (14-18 years) exhibited the highest internet usage, followed by adults (above 18 years), and then children (6-14 years). Notably, children in Maharashtra (6-14 years) displayed a higher average usage compared to their counterparts in other states.

The ongoing campaign has covered 12 states and 23 cities, involving approximately 788 volunteers. The primary goal of the campaign is to raise awareness and promote safe and responsible use of information in the virtual/cyber world among school-going children.

In Maharashtra, CRY has collaborated with students from the National Social Services (NSS) who are visiting schools across the state. They conduct workshops with students from Class 5 to Class 9, addressing issues related to cybercrimes such as phishing, cyber bullying, identity theft, false advertising, cyber grooming, cyber trafficking and online gaming. So far, over 20,000 students have participated in the campaign, and the numbers continue to grow.