The Communication and Information Technology Commission (CITC) has announced that it will launch a special campaign to educate children and teenagers about the dangers of information technology crimes.

Sultan Al-Malik, CITC’s official spokesman, said cyber crimes constitute some of the most dangerous transgressions in our modern day. He explained that cyber crimes include impersonating other people with the aim of defamation, leaking confidential documents and publishing them online, electronic blackmail and hacking electronic websites.

Al-Malik made these statements during a meeting organized by the Education Training and Scholarship Directorate in Riyadh in cooperation with the CITC.

The official urged citizens to notify security authorities of suspected cyber threats.

He also stressed the necessity of raising awareness amongst children about the dangers of cyber crimes, especially given the prevalence of smart phone devices and social media sites.

Cyber crimes are motivated by a number of reasons, he added, including personal objectives such a revenge and defamation, or economic and political purposes that seek to obstruct the work of state facilities, obtain sensitive information and tamper with information.

Al-Malik pointed out that the CITC provides technical support for institutions that fall victim of cyber attacks, while the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution investigates such cases.




Meanwhile, Mohammad Al-Hwairi, director of the Education Training and Scholarship Directorate, said the directorate would cooperate with the CITC to devise an awareness program, which will begin by educating and training teachers about the dangers of cyber crimes.

A-Hwairini said they would implement two training programs; the first would aim to target elementary school supervisors in Riyadh, and in the second year the training course would target student counselors and elements school teachers.