Abu Dhabi: The UAE set a new world record at the Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi on Sunday where the largest number of people participated in a group discussion on cyber security.

Abu Dhabi Police bagged a new world record for the largest internet security discussion.

Previously this record was set in April 2016 in Japan with 2,042 participants while on Sunday Abu Dhabi set a new record with 2,574 participants.

Commander-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police, Major General Mohammad Khalfan Al Rumaithi, received the certificate from officials of the Guinness World Records.

The discussion titled, “Largest Internet Security Lesson-Youth and Internet Security” touched upon a number of topics pertaining to cyber security that include cyber security, challenges, personal security and smart gadgets.

During the discussion, Al Rumaithi urged the community to be vigilant about the lurking dangers of the internet and social media sites and parents need to keep a close monitoring of their children online and guide them for the right usage of internet.

Reem Al Hammadi, 27-year-old field researcher in Abu Dhabi, who took part in the event, said: The challenges we have today, are not experienced before. Internet is an important tool in the modern time but it has some threats too for children and youth.”

Parents should first learn how to deal with the situation in a productive way and monitor their children. They must keep a tab on them what kind of sites they access and explain to them its uses and abuses, she said.

Speaking to Gulf News Samer Khallouf, head of records management team of Guinness World Records of Middle East and North Africa office, said: “This record was the largest internet security lesson. The previous record was set in April 2016 in Japan, with 2,042 participants and today we have [in Abu Dhabi] 2,574 participants.”

“It’s quite an important topic to engage people in that kind of education and it’s a great record for the UAE,” Khallouf said.

Commander-in-chief of Abu Dhabi Police received the certificate that reads, “The largest Internet Security Lesson was organised by Abu Dhabi Police and ACTVET (Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training) — both UAE. In association with Emirates Youth Council in Abu Dhabi, UAE on November 19, 2017.”

Another participant, Amal Harb Al Zaabi, 26, asserted that awareness is the only solution to tackle the cyber challenges. For that we need to spread awareness among parents, children and youth.“