A real danger for all of us!
According to lawyer Zahia Ammoumou, digital violence constitutes a real danger for us all. “Unlike real life, digital violence remains difficult to manage and control since it relies on technology and social media platforms,” she warns. And to add that on a purely legal level, Law No. 103.13 relating to the fight against violence against women remains insufficient to deal with digital violence. “Law No. 103.13 certainly constitutes a revolution in the Moroccan legal arsenal, but it only concerns women while there are many children and men affected by this phenomenon,” she notes. The lawyer wishes to draw attention to the urgency of mitigating efforts in the hope of eradicating this violence which, unfortunately, tends to increase in parallel with digital developments. For her part, Imane Kendili, doctor of psychiatry, warns of the psychological impact of digital violence which, according to her, depends from one person to another. She therefore calls on parents to be sufficiently informed and to ban smartphones from children before the age of 14. The specialist explains that the impact of violence appears in the change in the person’s behavior. “It manifests itself through insomnia, behavioral disorders, depression, anxiety and even suicidal thoughts or even acting out,” she notes.
Parents overwhelmed, schools called to become more involved
The speakers are unanimously convinced that parents feel overwhelmed by the phenomenon of digital transformation and its impact on the daily lives of their children. Indeed, children are born in the digital age and know the digital environment better than their parents. What solution then? The president of the Moroccan Center for Polytechnic Research and Innovation (CMRPI) and director of the Espace Maroc Cyberconfiance (EMC) space calls on schools to become more involved in raising awareness of the dangers of digital violence. Certainly, adds the expert, some initiatives already exist, but they prove insufficient to protect our children given the scale and seriousness of the phenomenon.
The «E-Blagh» platform
For his part, Marouane Hejjouji, Divisional Commissioner and Head of the Digital Trace Analysis Laboratory at the National Brigade of the Judicial Police (BNPJ), returned to the efforts made by the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) to limit and combat digital violence. “The management of digital evidence is essential in our international cooperation against this type of crime. The judicial police must remain vigilant and proactive in the management of digital evidence and investigations,” he stressed. Mr. Hejjouji also wanted to recall the importance of using, if necessary, the new “E-Blagh” platform that was recently launched by the DGSN. Through this platform, he explains, Moroccans can now report 24 hours a day, 7 days a week any illicit content disseminated on the internet such as online scams, sexual exploitation of children, sextortion, terrorism or the glorification of terrorism, incitement to discrimination, hatred and violence, or threats to commit crimes.
