VOA标准英语2010年-Coalition in Kenya Working to Protect

As Kenya becomes increasingly wired to the Internet, problems are cropping up regarding security and safety. Of particular concern are dangers about exploitation and harassment¹ of children. To that end, a children's organization, the Kenyan government and Microsoft East Africa Ltd. have launched a program to warn parents about Internet hazards.

What pops up on computer screens in Kenya has many educators and parents worried.

They say the Internet has the potential to exploit Kenya's young people if not properly managed.

Alarm bells went off for high school principal Joan Muoti shortly after her daughter signed up for the popular social networking site Facebook.

"Somebody invited her in the Facebook. They kept on chatting, chatting. One time he says, 'I will be coming to Kenya and I would like to meet you,'" High School Principal Joan Muoti says she felt uncomfortable about a stranger wanting to meet her child.

Other parents have similar worries, and children in Africa may be particularly at risk.

Mark Matunga is the education and citizenship² program manager with Microsoft East Africa Limited.

"Because of the level of poverty, and being told that, 'Hey, you know what, I can send you a few dollars, I can come and visit you, I can buy you a ticket, you come to my country.' Those are some very inviting³ conversations that an African child can begin to have with somebody in the West, unsuspecting that this person in the West could just basically be preying⁴ on them," Matunga explained.

Matunga says what also makes African children vulnerable is that their parents and teachers typically are not knowledgeable⁵ about Internet technology.

And there are other possible dangers, such as cyber-bullying and pornography.

So Microsoft East Africa Limited., the Kenyan government and the advocacy group The Cradle Children's Foundation have teamed up to inform parents and protect children against Internet abuse.

"The Internet is taking over shaping the character of our children. That is the basis of this project: we want to just raise awareness⁶ so as parents to be able to understand the dangers children are actually going through, Brian Weke, foundation's program manager said. Then they can actually guide the children in relation to accessing the net."

The program consists of establishing parameters⁷ that parents can use to block certain Websites, computer games and search terms.

Organizers also conduct information sessions to teach parents about how to use the Internet safely.

"Anything you put online is permanent on some of these social networks," Matunga stated. "Somebody can easily take that photo of your child and manipulate it in whatever way that they want."

Matunga says Microsoft, the children's foundation and the Kenyan government are working hard to educate parents, teachers and businesses on how best to protect Kenya's young from Internet abuse.
 

1 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。

2 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

3 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

4 preying   

v.掠食( prey的现在分词 )；掠食；折磨；（人）靠欺诈为生

参考例句：

• This problem has been preying on my mind all day. 这个问题让我伤了整整一天脑筋。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• For a while he let his eyes idly follow the preying bird. 他自己的眼睛随着寻食的鸟毫无目的地看了一会儿。 来自辞典例句

5 knowledgeable   

adj.知识渊博的；有见识的

参考例句：

• He's quite knowledgeable about the theatre.他对戏剧很有心得。
• He made some knowledgeable remarks at the meeting.他在会上的发言颇有见地。

6 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

7 parameters   

因素，特征； 界限； （限定性的）因素( parameter的名词复数 )； 参量； 参项； 决定因素

参考例句：

• We have to work within the parameters of time. 我们的工作受时间所限。
• See parameters.cpp for a compilable example. This is part of the Spirit distribution. 可编译例子见parameters.cpp.这是Spirit分发包的组成部分。