The importance and role of internet in our daily life have become unquestionable, in view of the communication potentials and knowledge resources they provide in all areas. The internet offers great benefits for children, and studies show that the effective use of internet by children contributes to their school distinguishment and later professional success. The internet, however, does not only provide excellent opportunities for learning, expanding knowledge horizons and developing personal and social skills, it also carries threats to the security and safety of users, in parctiluar children. Raising the awareness of children on the risks of internet and ways to protect them have become a difficult equation that requires the attention of stakeholders at all levels. Therefore, ESCWA chose the theme “protecting children on the internet” for the file of the current issue of the Review of Information and Communications Technology for Development in Western Asia. The file covers different aspects of this cause and the efforts exerted by Arab countries to protect children on the internet, while focusing on the experiences of Egypt and Lebanon in this regard. It identifies the American legislation in the field of protecting children on the internet and international efforts exerted to provide a statistical framework to measure the extent of such protection. In addition to the file, the issue includes a number of articles, some of which study the impact of social communication websites on the Arab popular movements, the importance of scientific researches in local development, and the distinction prizes and competitions as a means to motivate the development of e-services and applications.