Internet in schools: Malaysian parents concerned about privacy, want online ads banned

Do you currently have school-going children?

Do you believe that the use of internet in schools will provide your children essential skills for the future? If your answer is yes, you are not alone. Many Malaysian parents think so, too, according to survey.

But like myself, a majority of those surveyed want online advertising or data mining of children’s personal information prohibited.


In-school internet access - the good and the bad. Infographic source: Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE) and SafeGov.org


The survey found that 92% of Malaysian parents want all advertising-related practices to be banned from such services in schools with 82% calling for the government to pass a law to ban all advertising-related activities from online services in schools.


Are connected classrooms beneficial?

Definitely. More than three quarters of parents surveyed felt that Internet use would help their children to learn creativity, problem solving, and critical thinking. Furthermore, about 75% believe that it would aid their children to acquire essential skills for competing in this century.

Of course there are dark side to the use of certain internet services in schools - or for that matter, anywhere. Advertising services that engage in data mining are always of concern.


TheGreenMechanics: I believe in monitoring and mutual understanding of what the dos and don'ts are when going online into the cyberworld, although we give them some space of privacy for themselves.


Info source: Computerworld Malaysia

8 out of 10 Malaysian Internet users shop online

That's according to Trend Micro, a Malaysia-based Internet content developer of security and threat management solutions.

So, that makes me an odd species among the many Internet users in Malaysia as I don't really shop online. Okay, I make online rewards points redemption on my credit card, but that's about it. I don't shop online, not for foods, not for gadgets, not just yet.

Besides, I can drive to the city center in 15 minutes if I need to. But of course, things could change - if not soon, later.

Are you an online shopper?

Read what Trend Micro found out, and be warned of the risk involved:

Recent online survey shows that eight out of 10 Malaysian Internet users now shop online, an increase that reflects a global and regional increase in online commerce.

Global online retails sales passed US$1 trillion last year and are expected to grow by 17.1% this year, according to eMarketer, with the Asia Pacific region accounting for more than a third of the sales.

The company cited market research firm Nielsen's expectations that Malaysia's online shopping market would increase to RM5 billion (US$1.52 billion) by 2015.

The rapid growth of online shopping worldwide together with the immense increase of money changing hands in the cyberspace, especially after the reduction of the of the Online Interbank GIRO (IBG) to 10 sen, will attract more cyber criminals to target online shoppers.


Risks for online shoppers:

"The main risks for online shoppers lie in replying to unsolicited emails spoofed to appear to originate from reputable retailers. Clicking through the links in these could lead unsuspecting users to a phishing site designed to steal their credit card credentials."
- Goh Chee Hoh, Managing Director, SEA Region, Trend Micro Inc


TheGreenMechanics: So, at a dinner table of ten Internet savvies, two of us would be at odds with the rest of the people. Wow, that's a bit stressing, LOL.


Source: Computerworld Malaysia

Cyber crime: Malaysia sixth most vulnerable

If you are residing in one of these countries, you are highly at risk of cyber crime. This is according Norton Cyber Crime Report 2012:-

• China
• India
• Indonesia
• Hong Kong
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• Philippines
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• United Arab Emirates

- in no particular order.

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Malaysia sixth most vulnerable

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is the sixth most vulnerable country in the world to cyber crime, in the form of malware attacks through the computer or smartphone.

CyberSecurity Malaysia Research vice president Lt Col (R) Sazali Sukardi said the Sophos Security Threat Report 2013 found, in a period of three months this year, that besides Malaysia, nine others - Hong Kong, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, Mexico, India, the Philippines, Thailand, China and Indonesia - were also highly at risk.

"Cyber thieves have stolen about RM331.7bil worldwide, at an average of RM593 per victim based on the Norton Cyber Crime Report 2012," he said, while presenting a working paper entitled "Collaboration and cooperation in the fight against cyber crime" at a two-day e-Crime conference, here, Thursday.

However, cyber crime in the country decreased from 15,218 cases in 2011 to 9,986 cases in 2012, he said.

He attributed the drop to effective enforcement by the government enforcement agencies, including CyberSecurity.

According to Sazali, the highest reported cyber crime was fraud, followed by cyber invasion attempts, spam, denial of service, content-related offences, malicious code and cyber defamation.

"We are also facing security threats from international criminal organisations that abuse the internet for various cross-border illegal activities such as drugs, human trafficking, financial fraud and money laundering," he said.

He urged the public to contact CyberSecurity at its helpline Cyber999 through 03-89926969 to provide information or lodge a public complaint. - Bernama