Muscat: The National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI) in Oman has initiated an opinion poll with the objective of establishing a comprehensive framework to address the usage of social media among children. This survey holds immense significance as it will aid in the formulation of national plans and programs to regulate children's social media activities.
Furthermore, it will play a crucial role in creating awareness among families about the significance of monitoring their children's online behavior. Additionally, the data collected from this survey will provide valuable insights to policy makers regarding the online behavior of children.
Commonly used applications
The survey, which will run until February 20th, seeks to determine the applications most frequently used by children, evaluate how closely families monitor their usage of these platforms, analyze their impact on children's behavior, identify the primary areas where social media applications are utilized, and establish appropriate age recommendations for their use.
The survey includes a sample of approximately 2,500 male and female citizens aged 18 and above from different regions of the Sultanate of Oman with diverse educational backgrounds, allowing for the calculation of estimates for most indicators at a broader level.
A study conducted by the Ministry of Social Development (MoD) in 2020 revealed that over 95 percent of Omani children possess electronic devices.
In recent years, there has been a noticeable rise in the utilization of social media, particularly by children, and its influence on the content they are exposed to.
The primary responsibility for socialization lies with the family and school, particularly during a child's formative years.
