Broadband News

Lack of internet understanding putting children at risk

Tuesday, 02 February 2010

By Garnet Roach garnet@consumerchoices.co.uk

Parents’ lack of awareness is allowing children to get away with risky behaviour online, according to TalkTalk Broadband (www.TalkTalk.co.uk).

A quarter of children have sent or been sent inappropriate material via email, said the ISP, while a further one in 20 have communicated with a stranger via a webcam.

Many children are getting away with this behaviour online largely because of their parents’ lack of understanding of kids’ internet habits and online safety precautions.

The research also found that 11% had either bullied someone online or been a victim of cyber bullying themselves.

More than 60% said that they lie to their parents about what they have been looking at online and more than half admitted to deleting the history on their web browser so their parents can’t see what they have been looking at.

Tristia Clarke, from TalkTalk, said: “We all know there are threats in the virtual world just as there are in the real world, but it’s crucial that parents’ responses to these risks are measured and sensible.

“Our research underlines the need for greater communication between parents and children - it’s the best way for parents to get a sense of the likely risks to their children and therefore manage and minimise them where possible.”

55% of the children surveyed said that they knew more about the internet than their parents, and almost half had at least two hours of unsupervised internet access a day.

Professor Tanya Byron, author of the Byron Review into the risks of harmful content on the internet, said: “The internet doesn’t have to be a dangerous place for children and in fact can be hugely beneficial to their development and education.

“As long as parents are armed with effective tools they can ensure their children are spending time online safely and responsibly. But it’s crucial that parents educate themselves about what’s going on online and what their kids are doing there.”

Michael Phillips, Broadbandchoices.co.uk product director, added: “There are a number of steps that you can take to ensure that your children can enjoy the internet safely. Talk to your children about the websites they use and their online habits, so you can spot any changes in their behaviour, and make sure that they know not to share their details with anyone online.

“You can also install parental control and internet security software and learn how to check your PC’s web history if you want to see which sites your children have been visiting,” he advised.

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