Internet is a playground for today's youth

For today's generation the Internet is both the new playground and T.V. It is where they play, socialize, learn and participate in today's culture.

Kids online,at an early age is now the norm. According to statistics from i-SAFE, a nonprofit organization seeking to protect families online, 23 per cent of nursery school pupils use the Internet. That percentage increases to 32 per cent in kindergarten and all the way to 80 in high school.

Not only are children online, but they feel as comfortable in front of the computer screen as they are in their own backyard. Thirty-seven per cent of those surveyed said they feel more free to do what they want to in cyberspace than in "real life." Perhaps even more surprising is that 25 per cent stated they feel better about themselves when on the Internet than in the real world.

Dangers are lurking

However, the Internet can be a risky place for children, and families online should be concerned about Internet safety. Because kids online feel safe, they are susceptible to sexual predators who troll chat rooms and social networking sites. In late July, 2007, MySpace announced it has removed the profiles of more than 29,000 people who were registered as sexual offenders in the United States. A Pew Internet and American Life Project study showed that 89 per cent of sexual solicitations of young people were made in chat rooms or by instant messaging. According to i-SAFE, 15 per cent of children surveyed have given out personal information to someone they met online. Twenty per cent have met "strangers" they knew through the Internet.

As well as adults, children need to be prepared for the poor behavior of people their own age, as cyber-bullying is now very common. Fourteen per cent of children surveyed said they have received mean or threatening messages online. While some might be from adults, the i-Safe survey stated 53 per cent of teens admitted to saying hurtful things via the Internet to someone. Seven per cent acknowledged they did it more than once.

Families online also need to be mindful of inappropriate content. The people who view Internet porn the most are children between the ages of 12 and 17. Reportedly more than 11 million teenagers regularly look at porn online. It is not just pornography parents need to be concerned about. A study funded by the Caron Treatment Centers, a non-profit program in Pennsylvania, showed that teens use blogs, message boards and public chat rooms to talk about drinking, smoking pot and engaging in sexual behaviour.

Making a difference

Yes, the Internet can be a dangerous place for families online. However, banning children from the Internet is not the answer. It has many benefits such as information for school, exposure to different cultures and ways to communicate with relatives. But, children need some guidance online.

Act now to put ParetoLogic PGsurfer to work for you.