I think one of the most prevalent safety issues regarding children and the Internet are online networking sites like myspace and facebook. I have nothing against either of these (I have accounts with both, hehe) but I think children/young adults don't fully comprehend how important it is to be careful with these kinds of sites. I think kids have no clue the effect posting pics and becoming friends with strangers can have on their lives. I think children should be informed and kept accountable with sites like these so as to prevent predators.
I also think that, in general, children's Internet usage should be monitored. It's way too easy to come across information, pictures, etc that children should not see. To deter this, I think kids should be monitored and be taught proper usage/search habits.
Also, this may seem kind of silly, but it seems to me like there is an alarming amount of time spent online by kids. In my opinion, there are far better things to be doing with your time than sitting on your bum in front of a computer. So, even though it's not a "safety" issue, I think it's an Internet issue that needs to be addressed. Even if kids are playing educational games, it's still better for them to be out and about playing and using their imaginations. I think that when you look at Internet usage long-term, it could easily become a health issue for kids because they're inactive for long periods of time daily.
2 comments:
There are a lot of things to think about when dealing with internet safety. Like you mentioned just helping students to be aware of what they are doing and the impact their action may have on them or others is important. And also it is important to teach them what to do when an unwanted site appears on their computer screen, or when a "friend" want them to take part in bullying another classmate.
I agree with you on the monitoring of kids online. I don't think parents watch close enough. Getting a child's Myspace or Facebook password could be a huge help when trying to see what your child is up to. I know my mom did just so she could be sure that I wasn't inviting trouble into my life. Also, this snooping by parents could calm their fears about the dangers of the web. Their child might not be doing anything wrong.
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