Government asks to act in the face of “threat” from social networks due to challenges

This Friday, the government called on families, teachers, political groups and organizations to act against the “threat” posed by social networks, after three minors died by joining challenges spread on these platforms. which have also caused massive poisonings in schools.

Through a bulletin, the Minister of Education, Héctor Rodríguez, urged “the entire school community” and the students’ families to build “a great awareness program” about the risks that children and adolescents run in these spaces and the supervisory role that adults must play.

This campaign, he explained, must include aspects such as the responsible use of information and communication technologies, reporting and counseling protocols, rights and duties in the digital space, legislation linked to these issues, addictions and digital crimes.

«We are facing a real threat. “It is a time for unity and consensus, for joint work between universities, public and private organizations, health centers, educational centers, families, politicians, educators, teachers, all willing and trained to protect the present and future of our children,” he stressed. Rodriguez.

He recalled that the participation of young people in “suicidal viral challenges” has meant a “tragedy” for some families in Venezuela, where more than a hundred adolescents suffered poisoning due to the alleged participation of some of them in a type of challenges that consists of manipulation of chemical substances, facts that are still being investigated.

“We can change things, we have time to do so,” reiterated the minister, who said that the government will advance “soon in this work,” without giving more details about it.

The Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) admitted an appeal for protection introduced by a Chavista movement that requested the protection of the rights of children and adolescents in the face of the risks they run due to these challenges.

Nicolás Maduro on Monday ordered the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) to ask the social network TikTok in Latin America to remove from its platforms in Venezuela videos about viral challenges that he described as “abusive and criminal.”