UAE launches child safety tech to block cyberbullies, prevent grooming, self-harm
The UAE is set to introduce two pioneering technologies focused on enhancing child safety online and supporting breastfeeding mothers.
The first invention guarantees user privacy by means of a smartphone-integrated safety tool filtering dangerous content on messaging networks, including encrypted apps, therefore guaranteeing user privacy. Concurrent with this, Coroflo, a modern nursing monitor, will offer real-time breast milk intake feedback, therefore addressing a major issue for new mothers about milk supply.
Developed by Chirp, the child protection technology differs from conventional parental control applications in approach. Chirp's safety feature is built inside the operating system (OS) of the smartphone, so it is rather resistant to manipulation rather than a supplementary tool. Rena Maycock, CEO and Chirp founder, says installing the protection at the OS level means parents get alerts about possible hazards without violating children's privacy or having to watch all online interactions. Unlike conventional parental control programs, which sometimes cannot access messaging apps directly, Chirp's technology detects and blocks cyberbullying, grooming, and self-harm content especially within these platforms, including those that employ end-to--end encryption.
Although many parental control applications may filter information like adult material or limit screen time, Maycock notes that they cannot monitor chat apps, where most cases of cyberbullying or grooming usually start. The "peer-to---peer" character of messaging apps causes this restriction whereby third-party parental control solutions cannot access the communication happening on another app. The business closes a gap left by existing parental controls by embedding Chirp's security measures straight inside the OS, therefore ensuring that encrypted conversations are also watched for possibly hazardous material.
Operating as a basic component of the device's operation, Chirp's approach to online safety consists in a patented kernel-level OS modification. Using an artificial intelligence-driven database to identify dangerous information, this architecture lets Chirp-enabled cellphones access and examine all incoming and exiting data. For instance, the system will stop a child trying to transmit an unsuitable photograph and notify their parents. Chirp will also intercept a child's search for self-harm subjects, such anorexia or self-injury, and alert the parent, therefore motivating them to act right away.
The UAE's great dedication to online safety—especially for children—basis the decision to introduce Chirp there. Active in the Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) and with a permanent membership on the WePROTECT Global Alliance International Advisory Board, which addresses online child protection, the UAE Ministry of Interior Parents in the UAE will shortly be able to buy cellphones pre-loaded with Chirp's technology, sold as "safe first phones," Maycock observes. Claiming a 75% detection efficiency rate, Chirp says it is on par with human-level monitoring.
Along with other system features like WiFi and roaming, Chirp's interface is basic and easily connects into the settings menu of the smartphone. This makes it an inevitable component of the gadget as tech-savvy teenagers cannot turn off it. Parents can also operate the tool through a provisioning app, where they set their child's date of birth, protect the system with a password, and link it to their email, so guaranteeing complete control.
Apart from child safety, the UAE will shortly see the introduction of Coroflo, a novel gadget meant to assist nursing moms with real-time statistics on breast milk intake. First of its type, Coroflo seeks to solve a main issue for moms regarding their milk production. With medical experts worldwide advising exclusive nursing for the first six months, Rosanne Longmore, CEO and co-founder of Coroflo, stresses the great benefits nursing offers for newborns. But only over 23% of UAE women and 13% in Europe reach this goal, usually because of concern about inadequate milk supply.
With accurate information on how much milk their baby is consuming, Coroflo's nursing monitor seeks to allay these worries. The gadget offers real-time data, which lets moms better monitor their supplies and decide on their feeding schedules. This technology not only boosts mother confidence but also fits with healthcare objectives of pushing extended nursing to improve the condition of the newborn.
Chirp and Coroflo taken together constitute a surge of technologically driven ideas meant to increase UAE child safety and health. These developments offer a more safe and health-conscious surroundings by tackling important concerns like online safety for youngsters and nursing obstacles for mothers. The UAE's will to improve the quality of life for its citizens by means of innovative technologies in healthcare and online safety shows its drive to equip parents with instruments that give both protection and comfort.