Muscat: On Sunday, the Ministry of Information launched a session focused on "Towards a National Framework for Dealing with Social Media."
This session, which will continue until February 25, 2025, is being organized in collaboration with the Oman 2040 Vision Implementation Follow-up Unit.
The initiative aims to tackle the digital challenges associated with raising children, promote public awareness regarding the safe use of social media, and align with the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 in fostering an informed society while developing effective policies and strategies that cater to community needs.
This session is inspired by the Royal address of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, emphasizing the responsibilities of families and society in nurturing children within the context of social media.
Additionally, the session builds upon a previous program by the Ministry of Information that involved engaging academics, researchers, educators, media professionals, and specialists in creating research and studies, as well as conducting surveys and polls in partnership with official entities.
In his remarks during the session, Mohammed bin Said Al Balushi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Information, highlighted that the Royal directives from His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik stress the importance of paying special attention to the impact of social media on youth and young individuals.
Al Balushi emphasized that this Royal directive underscores the necessity of taking proactive measures to mitigate the effects of social media, protect family integrity, and ensure the proper upbringing of children. He noted that this issue has become a global phenomenon that requires national-level intervention through the establishment of clear mechanisms.
He further remarked that social media plays a pivotal role in shaping communication dynamics within contemporary societies. Al Balushi pointed out that, with just a click, individuals can connect to the world via social media platforms and applications.
“This significant shift in human communication methods has profound implications for our social relationships and affects how we engage with our environment,” Al Balushi stated.
The session included a short film that highlighted Omani citizenship, national identity, and local strategies for managing social media through well-defined mechanisms. The presentation also addressed how media organizations can contribute to fostering unity and collaborative efforts.
Dr. Amal Mohammed Al Nofli, Director General of Electronic Media and Head of the Working Group, mentioned that the Ministry of Information has assembled a team consisting of members from the Ministry and representatives from various government departments. This team is tasked with analyzing the current landscape, understanding the reasons for change, identifying challenges, and transforming them into opportunities to turn the negative impacts of social media into positive outcomes.
Additionally, the team is responsible for educating families and youth on the most effective ways to utilize social media.
Dr. Amal outlined that the team will undertake measures to develop a series of initiatives aimed at fulfilling the strategic goals of the workshop and fostering effective engagement through social media platforms.
The evolution session focuses on strategic methods to educate families and youth about the significance of using social media responsibly.
The workshop plans to launch public awareness campaigns and programs specifically aimed at families and young individuals.
Additionally, it will feature initiatives to eliminate digital illiteracy, strengthen digital citizenship and ethics, and incorporate social media education into curricula to promote the principles of digital citizenship and ethics, thereby encouraging positive online behavior.
