Study says kids too risky online
Categories: Health & safety, Development, Media
We're
on a roll with stories about youth safety on the
Internet. We know what we want our kids NOT to
do, but do we have a good picture of how they really are using the Web? According to a new study, tweens and tweens
are being too risky.The Polly Klass Foundation conducted a study of teenagers (13-18) and tweens (8-12) to see what they're doing online. Turns out kids are regularly talking to strangers, sending images and giving out personal information. Here are some of the findings:
- Half of the teenagers surveyed have communicated online with someone they have never met.
- One third have talked about meeting in person someone they only know online.
- One in 10 have learned that someone communicating with them online was an adult pretending to be much younger.
- Nineteen percent of teenagers know someone who was asked about or harassed about sex by a stranger online.
Trust me, if you read the full study you're going to lock your computer up at night!
[via USA Today]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ann Adams 12-22-2005 @ 6:37PM
We just added a second computer and I'm being even more careful than I was when they were using mine. It's scary out there and mine are not yet teenagers.
Reply
Uly 12-22-2005 @ 8:17PM
* Half of the teenagers surveyed have communicated online with someone they have never met.
What, like, they posted in a blog and then had people comment on it? Like we're doing, right now?
* One third have talked about meeting in person someone they only know online.
Been there, done that. I refuse to believe that the average person on the internet is a CRAZY STALKER KILLER! and average people I meet every day in the so-called real world would never, ever do something untoward. So long as you meet in public places in broad daylight, with somebody else, you're as safe as you ever are.
* One in 10 have learned that someone communicating with them online was an adult pretending to be much younger.
* Nineteen percent of teenagers know someone who was asked about or harassed about sex by a stranger online.
Yeah, those now, those are scary. But the last one can and does happen in real life too. It's not the internet that's scary. It's real people in the real world who are scary. It's just that some of them happen to use computers.
Reply
charlene 12-22-2005 @ 11:28PM
I think the most important part of this study is that kids are doing things online that could lead to dangerous situations "offline." And they're either unaware of it because they're so young or if they're older, they don't think it can happen to them. The invincible teenager. Just as we teach our kids not to take drugs, not to drink and drive, not talk to strangers or cross the street when cars are coming, kids need to be educated about how to stay safe online. And parents need to pay attention to what their children are doing on the Web, and not pass the computer off as the "new tv."
And I would never say it's okay for a child or teenager to meet a stranger from the online world so long as it's in public, in daylight and you have someone with you. Average people you meet everyday on the street may not do any harm to you - an adult - but they may to a teenager or young child. You never, ever know. And when it comes to protecting my kids, I won't ever be that trusting.
Reply
Crazy World 12-23-2005 @ 5:49PM
For anyone that thinks that this issue isn't a real problem, go to perverted-justice.com
It is a serious eye opener!
Reply
Uly 12-24-2005 @ 3:04PM
"Average people you meet everyday on the street may not do any harm to you - an adult - but they may to a teenager or young child."
We're not discussing young children, so I'm not going to touch on that.
I'm curious how you are in less danger from people in the street than your average teenager, though - can you show me some statistics? Unless you're keeping your kid inside the house, they *will* meet strangers - that's what people do when they go outside. Why is it different when it's a stranger they've spoken to online? That seems illogical.
Reply