From the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences (FNAS), Professor Nazir Hawi and Associate Professor Maya Rupert, the respective Chair and Vice Chair of the Institute for Internet and Technology Addiction (INTA) at Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU), held a symposium on internet safety, the rise of AI programs, and digital well-being. Held in the Pierre Abou Khater Auditorium, leading experts presented the latest findings on these subjects, moderated by the Director of Affairs and Protocol, Mr. Majed Bou Hadir.
Representing the NDU President, Fr. Bechara Khoury, the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA), Dr. Michel El Hayek, gave the welcoming address, stating the importance of the event: “The internet has become an integral part of our daily lives, providing us with endless possibilities and opportunities.” Advances in technology are a double-edged sword, however, El Hayek bringing attention to the fact that “these opportunities are associated with risks and threats that can compromise our privacy and security,” particularly with the rapid development of artificial intelligence. The overarching question of the symposium, then, was whether we could reap the benefits of these technological advances without risking our own human intelligence and digital security, a poignant concern for children growing up in the digital age.
The Director General of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE), Mr. Imad El Achkar, gave the first presentation, titled “Online Reputation.” Here, El Achkar outlined how individuals garner a digital footprint, the essence of the reality being that nothing on the internet is lost forever. “It is of utmost importance,” he said, “that we are careful to cultivate a positive online reputation that does not put us or others at risk.” The Director General offered that with schools increasingly integrating technology into their teaching approaches, teachers would not only benefit themselves by being tech-savvy, but they are in a prime position to caution their students and showcase how they can enjoy the advantages of the internet and technology without putting themselves at risk.
In a similar vein, Colonel Patrick Obeid, Head of the Bureau for Countering Cybercrime and Protecting Intellectual Property, contextualized secure internet use with the phenomena of sextortion in Lebanon, wherein vulnerable and impressionable youth can be manipulated and even blackmailed into providing sexual favors online. According to the Colonel, as each generation is being exposed to the internet at an earlier age than the last, it is essential that parents, guardians, and teachers guide the youth in avoiding these online traps, and protecting them in the unfortunate event that they do find themselves in such a position.
Building upon the role of education in promoting internet safety, Mr. George Awad, Communication and Information Officer at UNESCO, demonstrated various approaches that can enable teachers to utilize tech and the internet ethically and efficiently in the classroom. In his presentation, “Better Internet through Better Education,” Awad explained that educational institutions have a responsibility to keep up with the latest tech developments. AI programs, such as ChatGPT, are one example of how academic integrity is being compromised. Students now more than ever are not only able to plagiarize their assignments, but use ChatGPT to write assignments for them with minimal plagiarism detection. According to Awad, this illicit use of AI in academia is a call for all educational institutions to adapt their strategies and protocol to mitigate the negative impact this would have on students’ education, discipline, and integrity.
The symposium then proceeded with Rupert’s presentation, which laid the groundwork for how INTA is advocating for internet safety through its research and activities. The latest numbers show that each generation is becoming increasingly addicted to internet and tech use, affecting the youth’s self-esteem and academic performance. She reiterated Awad’s concerns with respect to ChatGPT: “We cannot undermine this language program’s potential to revolutionize the educational model—perhaps positively, but probably negatively.”
Academic integrity and future generations’ education are indubitably intertwined with the internet, tech, and AI. The Secretary General of Catholic Schools, Fr. Youssef Nasr, summarized the event with a sober reminder: it is imperative that education does not let technology outpace it. To ensure that future generations are properly educated not only academically but also socially, morally, and emotionally, concerted efforts are needed to prioritize secure internet use.