PSA by Qissé Films and MISSING sheds light on online threats faced by children

Qissé Films in partnership with MISSING, an NGO working on child trafficking prevention, has released a PSA (Public Service Announcement) that aims to create awareness and drive conversations around child online safety.

The film, produced by Qissé Films and MISSING, is about two young children from different backgrounds who are exploited by strangers posing as friends on social media. It shows how easily they fall prey to online traffickers even from the safety of their homes. The film has a cautionary message to introspect who you are really talking to online. It shockingly reveals that these predators target children as young as nine years old and shares a whatsapp number that can be reached out for anyone seeking help.

The PSA is supported by NCPCR (National Commission for Protection of Child Rights) and CyberPeace. It is playing across PVR theatres in the country.

Indira Aditi Rawat, the director of the film, says that she wanted to avoid sensationalism or melodrama and maintain authenticity in the film. She said that the narrative journey should be simple and show how ordinary conversations can lead to distressing situations for children who are isolated from their parents when spending time on their devices.

Luv Kalla and Richa Maheshwari, founders of Qisse Films, are glad to be able to create a film and aid MISSING, who are working to raise awareness, educate and push for policy initiatives to create a safe online environment for our children.

Leena Kejriwal, founder of Missing Link Trust, says that children in India face the highest risk of online abuse in the world. She believes that films can play a powerful role in building public awareness about the issue and prevention. Qissé’s film will help to prevent online abuse by beginning a dialogue about the alarming statistics with parents, children, schools and the community. Kejriwal urges the public to get involved and help build a safer online world for children.