Computers and online information are generally trusted by both children and adults as reliable and accurate. The rapid growth of Internet access has added a new dimension to modern computing. Through the Internet children now have access to an almost endless supply of information and opportunity for interaction. However, there can be real risks and dangers for an unsupervised child.
Online information gives children resources such as encyclopedias, current events coverage, and access to libraries and other valuable material. They can also play games and communicate with friends. The ability to "point and click" from one area to another appeals to a child's natural impulsivity, curiosity and needs for immediate gratification.
Most parents teach their children not to talk with strangers, not to open the door if they are home alone, and not to give out information on the telephone to unknown callers. Most parents also monitor where their children go, who they play with, and what TV shows, books, or magazines they are exposed to. However, many parents don't realize that the same level of guidance and supervision must be provided for a child's online activities.
Parents cannot assume that their child will be protected on the Internet by the supervision or regulation provided by the online services. Most "chat rooms" or "new's groups" are completely unsupervised. Because of the anonymous nature of the "screen name," children who communicate with others online will not know if they are "talking" with another child or a child predator pretending to be a child or teen. Unlike the mail and visitors that a parent sees a child receive at home, instant messaging, e-mail or "chat room" activity may not seen by parents. Unfortunately, there can be serious consequences to children who have been persuaded to give personal information, (e.g. name, passwords, phone number, email or home address) or have agreed to meet someone in person.
Some of the other risks or problems include:
In order to make a child's online experience more safe and educational, parents should:
Parents should be aware that spending time monitoring a child’s online activity will provide an opportunity to learn together as well as lessen possible risks and dangers for the child.
Information acquired for these resource was provided by the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry WWW.AACAP.org
Online information gives children resources such as encyclopedias, current events coverage, and access to libraries and other valuable material. They can also play games and communicate with friends. The ability to "point and click" from one area to another appeals to a child's natural impulsivity, curiosity and needs for immediate gratification.
Most parents teach their children not to talk with strangers, not to open the door if they are home alone, and not to give out information on the telephone to unknown callers. Most parents also monitor where their children go, who they play with, and what TV shows, books, or magazines they are exposed to. However, many parents don't realize that the same level of guidance and supervision must be provided for a child's online activities.
Parents cannot assume that their child will be protected on the Internet by the supervision or regulation provided by the online services. Most "chat rooms" or "new's groups" are completely unsupervised. Because of the anonymous nature of the "screen name," children who communicate with others online will not know if they are "talking" with another child or a child predator pretending to be a child or teen. Unlike the mail and visitors that a parent sees a child receive at home, instant messaging, e-mail or "chat room" activity may not seen by parents. Unfortunately, there can be serious consequences to children who have been persuaded to give personal information, (e.g. name, passwords, phone number, email or home address) or have agreed to meet someone in person.
Some of the other risks or problems include:
- children accessing areas on the Internet that are inappropriate or overwhelming
- online information that promotes hate, violence, and pornography
- children being mislead and bombarded with intense advertising
- children being invited to register for prizes or to join a club when they are providing personal or household information to an unknown source; and
- hours spent online is time lost from developing real social skills and from physical activity and exercise
In order to make a child's online experience more safe and educational, parents should:
- limit the amount of time a child spends online and "surfing” the Internet;
- teach a child that talking to "screen names" in a "chat room" or by instant messenger is the same as talking with strangers;
- teach a child never to give out any personal identifying information to another individual or web site online;
- teach a child to never agree to actually meet someone they have met online;
- never give a child credit card numbers or passwords that will enable online purchases or access to inappropriate services or sites;
- remind a child that not everything they see or read online is true;
- make use of the parental control features offered with your online service, or obtaining commercially available software programs, to restrict access to "chat lines," news groups, and inappropriate web sites;
- provide for an individual e-mail address only if a child is mature enough to manage it, and plan to periodically monitor the child's e-mail and online activity;
- monitor the content of a child’s personal web page (homepage) and screen name profile information;
- teach a child to use the same courtesy in communicating with others online as they would if speaking in person -- i.e. no vulgar or profane language, no name calling, etc.;
- insist that a child follow the same guidelines at other computers that they might have access to, such as those at school, libraries, or friends’ homes.
Parents should be aware that spending time monitoring a child’s online activity will provide an opportunity to learn together as well as lessen possible risks and dangers for the child.
Information acquired for these resource was provided by the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry WWW.AACAP.org