The negative impact of social media in reporting child abuse in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Background: Although social media is a critical medium for reporting child abuse, it has led to many problems in Sri Lanka. Social media is often used to spread false information and violate the privacy of victims, ignoring the possibility of creating social awareness. According to recent reports on the rise of child abuse in Sri Lanka, social media makes a complex contribution to reporting these problems as well as increasing them. This situation is exacerbated by the lack of proper control and responsible reporting mechanisms. This study hopes to examine the negative effects on the affected child due to conditions such as the spread of false information, violation of privacy, and the possibility of the event recurring in society, which are raised by social media when reporting child abuse in Sri Lanka. Method: This study follows a mixed methodology, including a quantitative analysis of social media reports related to child abuse along with qualitative interviews. Existing guidelines for reporting child abuse will also be reviewed. Results: This study helps to understand the need to ensure child protection by identifying the negative impacts of reporting child abuse through social media in Sri Lanka. Appropriate control and responsible reporting mechanisms are essential when reporting child abuse on social media, and permanent guidelines and control mechanisms are needed to avoid these problems. Conclusion: Among the research proposals is that cooperation between media regulatory and control bodies is essential to avoid these negative impacts.