Making the Internet A Safer Place For Young Ones

Over the years much has been said and written about the ever-present dangers the Internet can pose to unsuspecting young ones.

Organizations such as Childnet International, are working constantly to try to make the Internet a safer and better environment for children to work in.

At one time Internet safety usually consisted of having a computer being used by a child in view of adults. That still makes sense, but, these days wireless connections makes the Internet very portable. And of course the Internet can be accessed via some cell phones. Libraries and Internet cafés are other places where the Internet is easily accessible too. So, despite the parents` best intentions, it isn`t difficult for their children to get on to the Internet often unseen by others.

Below are just some of the online activities that many youths are attracted to and their potential dangers.

Blogs
What are they? Online diaries. The word blog is a contraction of the term weblog. Blogging gives youths the opportunity to write about their thoughts, passions, and activities. Most blogs allow space for readers to leave comments, and many kids are thrilled to know that someone has responded to their writing.

Remember-a blog is open to the public. It`s all too easy to carelessly reveal information that can be used to identify their family, school, or home address.

Chat Rooms
Electronic spaces for live text conversation, usually centered around a specific topic or interest. The appeal to a child is that they can communicate with a number of individuals whom he or she may never have met but who share a common interest.

But, there are hidden dangers. Predators commonly frequent chat rooms hoping to lure a child into an online or even a face-to-face sexual encounter. There have been a number of cases reported where a young girl has met up with someone they met on a chatroom, only to find they aren`t who they said they were.

E-Mails
Written messages that are sent electronically. E-mail is a fast and inexpensive way to correspond with friends and family. Unsolicited e-mails, often called spam, can be a nuisance. Often they contain suggestive or blatantly obscene content. Links inside messages may prompt the user-including an unsuspecting child-to volunteer personal information, which can lead to identity theft. Replying to such e-mails will confirm that the user has an active e-mail address, which may lead to further unsolicited e-mails. They purportedly arrive from the bank, taxman, lottery company, a relative of a deceased person who wants you to look after a large sum of money, financial institutions - the list goes on. Yet many are scams, and can be very dangerous.

Instant Messaging
With instant messaging, a user can choose which of his friends he will converse with, selecting from a contact list he has created.

Instant-message conversations can be distracting if your child is supposed to be studying or engaging in another activity that requires concentration. In addition, how can you be sure with whom your son or daughter is communicating? After all, you cannot hear the conversation.

Social Networks
What are they? Sites that allow youths to create a Web page and enhance it with pictures, videos, and blogs. By creating and enhancing a Web page a young person can express his or her identity. Online social networks allow young ones to meet many new "friends." The personal information posted on social networks can be exploited by unscrupulous youths and adults.

Internet friendships tend to be superficial. On their Web pages, some youths accumulate a number of online contacts whom they have never met face-to-face, simply to appear popular to others who visit their site. That`s sad, when someone feels it`s necessary to do that in order to gain popularity.

Web Sites
Are collections of electronic pages created and maintained by organizations, educational institutions, businesses, and individuals. There are now billions of sites, many providing youths with endless opportunities to shop, do research, connect with friends, and play or download games and music.

But, the Web has been exploited by all manner of unscrupulous individuals. Many Web sites feature explicit sex, and these are easy for the unwary to stumble upon. In the United States, for example, 90 percent of youths surveyed between the ages of 8 and 16 said that they had unintentionally encountered pornography online-in most cases while doing homework!

The Web also provides easy access to sites that promote teen gambling. Experts are understandably concerned because of the highly addictive nature of online gambling. Yet, statistics show that some children even as young as 8 have visited those sites. Meanwhile, hate mongering sites target minority religious and ethnic groups. Some sites teach how to conduct illegal activities. Now Swedish therapists are admitting that the massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) is more addictive than crack cocaine.

Without question, the Internet can be of great benefit. But, there are dangers, particularly for the young.

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