Protecting Teens From Internet Dangers
Survey Says Less Than Half of Parents Take Online Safety Precaution
Aug 14, 2009
A 2008 survey conducted Harris Interactive for McAfee security found that two-thirds of mothers of teens were equally (if not more) concerned about online safety as they were about typical teen dangers such as drugs or drunk driving. ("McAfee, Inc. Research Reveals Mothers Rate Cyber Dangers as High as Drunk Driving or Experimenting with Drugs," BusinessWire, Oct. 2008) Their concerns are well-founded: the same study found, for example that more than half of kids had given personal information to someone they did not know, and 63% know how to hide what they are doing from their parents, which clearly indicates that their parents would not approve of their behavior.
A new survey conducted for McAfee ("80% of Parents Don’t Turn on Parental Control Software," C. Skinner, PC Advisor UK, June 2009), however, revealed a startling disconnect between the concerns parents verbalized in the earlier survey and the steps they should be taking to address those concerns:
Using Security Software
According to the survey, four out of five parents don’t turn on security software. This is a simple way to provide an extra level of protection for kids. While such software won’t solve the problem completely, it will help filter out questionable content and/or help parents track their child’s online behavior. There is a variety of such software for parents to choose from, depending on their particular needs.
Monitoring Online Behavior
Less than half of parents surveyed don’t check what their kids are doing online. Parents who would supervise their teen in a crowd full of strangers need to realize that this is exactly the environment that the internet provides: a crowd full of strangers. The fact that this world is accessed from the perceived safety of the home doesn’t change that. Parents can monitor in a variety of ways, such as direct supervision, using monitoring software, or checking the browser history.
Talking About Internet Safety
An astonishing two-thirds of parents surveyed don’t discuss online security with their kids. Perhaps these parents assume kids pick this information up in school, or maybe they aren’t sure what to say or how to bring up the topic. Regardless, it’s vital that parents make sure kids are aware of the risks they may encounter online. Kids can’t protect themselves and make smart decisions about their online behavior without this knowledge.
Supervising Computer Use
According to the survey, 30% of kids are allowed to surf the internet alone in their rooms. Ideally, computers should be located in a centralized spot where kids aren’t left alone to do as they please. It’s easy for them to take risks and venture into questionable sites in the privacy of their own rooms. Whatever they’re doing online should be out in the open. A periodic peek from a nearby parent shouldn’t be a problem unless they are doing something they shouldn’t be doing.
These findings indicate that, despite worries about online dangers, a majority of parents aren’t taking basic safety precautions when it comes from protecting their kids online. Clearly, more parents need to get involved in what their kids are doing online to make sure their experience is a safe one.
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