Students not self-censoring

By FIDELIS SUKINA

A research has shown the lack of awareness by Papua New Guinea school students on censoring of internet content especially music and movies.

Four schools were part of a pilot research done by the PNG office of censorship the schools Port Moresby National High school Port Moresby, Sogeri National High School Central Province, Kerevat National High School and Malabanga High school East New Britain.

 Out of 322 students issued questioners 6 7% of the students had phones that accessed the internet, 65% of the 322 participants were downloading movies and music from the internet and a further 84% of the participants share files on platforms such as Bluetooth and other social websites and sharing platforms such as Wattsapp and facebook.

Cyril Kruak the research officer of the Officer of censorship who conducted the research said that the students were quite low in self-censoring despite knowing the classification rating system in place.

The data produced saw an awareness of classifying different content but the lack of practice by the students to use that to provide a level of decency to their practices.

“69% of the   participants were aware of the classification rating systems “General Exhibition (G)” “Parental Guidance Recommended (PGR)”  “Mature Audience (MA)” and “Restricted Exhibition (R)” but   75% of them do not use the rating systems in place when surfing the internet and downloading music and video content that shows that they do not use self-censoring”. Mr Kruak said

Kruak said the statistics were from questioners that the students were given and took them home and were collected the next day.

He added that the statistics will be improved later on when a much wider research is done to better collect data for awareness roll out

“We conducted the research as a pilot project and have shelved it by order of the chief censor and it is open to criticism, currently the Office is reviewing and redesigning the questionnaire for implementation in all PNG schools throughout the country”.

“Apart from visiting schools to conduct research & awareness, conducting of other research and awareness with youths in LLG Wards, Districts, Provincial and National Levels will also take place”. Mr Kruak said