Tajik Campaign Studies Teen Online Habits

Why this is here: The @apzirehbot chatbot collected over 50 questions about digital security from parents, teenagers, and teachers, revealing key areas of concern for Tajik internet users.

In Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Asia-Plus Media Group summarized the results of its 10-month “Zireh” campaign. The project studied the digital habits of teenagers and their parents across three Tajik provinces: Dushanbe, Sughd, and Khatlon. Researchers conducted roughly 30 interviews and gathered over 50 questions via an AI chatbot named @apzirehbot.

The campaign revealed teenagers often have more online friends than real-life ones, knowing little about about 70% of them. Many teenagers contacted the chatbot with concerns about threats to share intimate photos or parental monitoring of their phones. The most discussed topics included account hacking, fraud, and online threats.

Experts suggest integrating media literacy into school curricula. They acknowledge that fully implementing such projects requires support from the Ministry of Education and Science. The European Union expressed continued commitment to supporting Tajikistan in addressing these digital safety concerns, and the work to understand these issues will continue.