Week 14 (April 18) Is Being Overprotective about Internet Use Really Bad?

•Conflicted over Safety: Missing and Exploited Children Clearinghouse reported that most teens surveyed are aware and concerned about the risks of putting personal information out in the open. Fifty-nine percent say having personal information or photos on a public site is unsafe, and 26 percent say they know someone who has had something bad happen to them because of this. Still, 62 percent of teens post photos of themselves on blogs or social networking sites and greater than 40 percent name their school or the city in which they live.
•Prevalent Cyberbullying: More than one-third of teens surveyed have been cyberbullied, perpetrated cyberbullying or know of friends who have experienced or perpetrated it, and 68 percent think it is a serious problem. About 4 in 5 teens (81 percent) think that bullying online is easier to get away with or to hide from their parents than bullying in person.
•Engaging in Sexting: Nineteen percent of teens surveyed have engaged in sexting -- sending, receiving or forwarding sexually suggestive nude or nearly nude photos through text message or email. Sixty percent of teens who sent sexts say they send photos to their boyfriend/girlfriend, but 11 percent say they have sent sexts(1) to someone they don’t even know. Eighty-one percent of teen sexters are under 18.

Teach Children to Remember the 4 R’s …

•Recognize techniques used by online predators to deceive their victims.
•Refuse requests for personal information.
•Respond assertively if you are ever in an uncomfortable situation while online. Exit the program,log off or turn off the computer…
•Report, to law enforcement authorities, any suspicious or dangerous contact that makes you uncomfortable.


Larry Magid's post, Child Safety on the Information Highway was written in 1993 and revised several times until 2003. In his post he listed these risks about the "Information Highway":

•Exposure to Inappropriate Material
A child may be exposed to inappropriate material that is sexual, hateful, or violent in nature, or encourages activities that are dangerous or illegal. Children could seek out such material but may also come across it on the web via chat areas, social networking sites, E-mail, or even instant messaging if they’re not looking for it.

•Physical Molestation
A child might provide information or arrange an encounter that could risk his or her safety or the safety of other family members. In some cases child molesters have used chat areas, E-mail, and instant messages to gain a child’s confidence and then arrange a face-to-face meeting.

•Harassment and Bullying
A child might encounter messages via chat, E-mail, on their social networking site or their cellular telephones that are belligerent, demeaning, or harassing. “Bullies,” typically other young people, often use the Internet to bother their victims.

•Viruses and Hackers
A child could download a file containing a virus that could damage the computer or increase the risk of a “hacker” gaining remote access to the computer; jeopardizing the family’s privacy; and, perhaps, jeopardizing the family’s safety.

•Legal and Financial
A child could do something that has negative legal or financial consequences such as giving out a parent’s credit-card number or doing something that could get them in trouble with the law or school officials. Legal issues aside, children should be taught good “netiquette” which means to avoid being inconsiderate, mean, or rude.

In January, 2010, Mr. Magid's post, We need to rethink online safety, agrees that it’s true that there are criminals who use to the net try to exploit people and find children to abuse. But that’s also true in our communities and — sadly — even in some homes. What’s also true about the Internet is that you can’t sexually abuse someone through a screen. You can try to lure them, you can shock them, you can upset them but you can’t enact any physical harm — that has to be done in person.


The debate of pros and cons about Internet Safety will continue forever. The most important aspect is that parents should be parenting....teaching their children about the proper uses of the Internet. Overprotective, yes, Dr. Strange, I admit that I am an overprotective parent. I teach 13 Kindergarten children who have protective parents, as well. Thanks to the Internet, I can find thousands of documents to support both sides of this issue. God bless the freedom of speech!