Internet Safety for Your Kids

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Most schools, where budgets permit, have computers either in the classroom or in a computer lab, and students begin using them as a regular part of the curriculum, as early as kindergarten in many instances.

Statistics vary, but it is estimated that 165 million people in the United States regularly access the internet, and the top five websites worldwide are US- based. Seventy-three percent of American homes own at least one computer, and usage figures are rising exponentially.

What does all this mean to the parents of budding young minds? Several things. First, our children are benefiting from a world of opportunities that were not available in any previous generation.

In addition to the computer skills children are acquiring at a very young age, they are learning more in less time and gaining a deeper understanding of the world around them through the ease and availability of the internet as a research tool and the wealth of information it puts at their fingertips.

Second, it means their cognitive abilities are growing in new and unexpected ways. Research suggests that certain computer-related activities actually aid in the development of neural pathways that enable sharper critical thinking skills, multitasking ability, and creativity, similar to the influence of early exposure to music and language. 4




Third, early computer use serves as hands-on training for later life, regardless of what career path a child chooses. From handheld devices to the most advanced and specialized processors in use today, nearly every field capitalizes on the increased efficiency that computers allow. And finally, the presence of this technology in a child's life means not only new and better opportunities, but new risks as well. Part of a parent's responsibility in this environment is knowing where the potential for danger exists, teaching children the skills to avoid harm, and, as in all areas of life, providing the structure and limits that will keep children safe until they are mature enough to do so themselves.

NEW OPPORTUNITIES BRING NEW DANGERS

Statistics on internetrelated risks, as reported at the website of Parental Control Products, are frightening. Their website reports that one in four children will be exposed to sexually explicit graphics, one in five will receive a sexual proposition, one in 17 will be harassed or threatened, and one in 33 will be aggressively pursued by sexual predators. 5




Other dangers, albeit less horrific, also overshadow users of the net. Unsupervised or without clear, specific guidelines about internet use, a smart child can put himself and his family in an unpleasant or damaging position.

Merchandise can be ordered online by anyone with access to a credit card number. The family email account can be bombarded with spam if the address is used to request information from the wrong individual or website. Viruses can infect your system through innocent looking email. Unauthorized downloads can clog a computer with adware and spyware, rendering it virtually unusable. Though far less terrifying than the possibility of child abduction or sexual abuse, these risks are actually much more likely to occur and can have negative consequences for the entire family.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

Keep in mind that despite its dark potential, the internet is not a thing of evil. Like anything else, it is a tool, a very powerful one, which can be used for good or ill. Consider the electrical current flowing through your home. It has the potential to do great harm to your family and property if used improperly. 6