Seatbelts for the Internet -- That's What We Need!
Internet Safety. It was only a matter of time until this issue became a central topic in our national debate. If we provide safeguards on the Internet, do we limit first amendment rights? If we don't provide those safeguards, who is accountable when a child surfs onto a website clearly not intended for a child? Some would say the company who makes the computer; some say the company that makes the software, and some say, THE PARENTS.
At Safety4Kids we are concerned with children's safety in every aspect of their lives. And we work to provide parents with the tools that empower them to be better parents. So at what age is it okay for a child to surf the Web unattended?
Lisa Bain from Parenting magazine believes a child's computer should be "out in the open", not in a closed bedroom, at least until they are old enough to know the difference between what is appropriate and what is not. Computer time should be family time, or at least a parent should be nearby supervising what their kids are doing online.
Lisa was one of the panelists at the "The National Task Force on Children's Safety", a summit co-sponsored by Safety4Kids and The Creative Coalition, held on Capitol Hill in June. Since then much work has been done to lay the groundwork for ongoing efforts to keep children safe on the Internet.
Dr. Richard Lerner, one of our frequent bloggers, has done extensive research on "critical thinking" and doesn't think those skills (the ones to know the difference between what's appropriate and what's not) emerge until a child is about 11 years old. Until then, "kids won't have the perspective necessary to make good judgments; they're concrete in their thinking and take things as if they are written in stone." This makes them vulnerable to others. Dr. Lerner goes on to say that "media literacy starts with the family. You can't have media literacy without having parental literacy."
The debate continues.
Should there be a rating system for websites, like there is for movies and television? Kerry Washington, a member of The Creative Coalition and a person who uses her celebrity to engage people in political debate, "supports the idea of a rating system for the Internet."
What do you think?
How many hours does your child spend at the computer? Do you know what they're looking at?
And let's remember that recent studies show that 95% of teachers assign projects that require using the Internet. That means that schools play a huge role in this debate.
Jan Domene, National President of the PTA, believes that Internet safety begins at home. "Parents need to be aware of what their children are looking at. What is fantasy and what is reality? Parents need to have open communications with their children so if something inappropriate happens on the Internet, their child will feel like sharing that with them."
Lynda Bergsma of the Alliance for a Media Literate America, says that "unplugging the keyboard doesn't always work. Kids will find other ways. Supervising a child can be difficult, especially if there is a single parent or both parents are working. Many parents are not media literate themselves. The most effective way to protect our kids is to incorporate media literacy in a child's education, beginning in kindergarten. With the schools' help, we could make this happen."
So what about preschoolers? Preschoolers surfing the Internet? Is this what we've come to?! The answer is a resounding yes, and it's more and more prevalent.
Tom Blair, President of Safety4Kids, was determined to develop a tool for parents of preschoolers to help them with the challenge of safeguarding their little ones on the Internet.
Please download our browser and sit down with your kids and have some fun and talk about these issues. It's the best way to begin to ensure your child's safety on the Internet.
We'll be adding more thoughts and information about Internet Safety in the coming days. Our partners and fellow bloggers have lots to say on the subject, so be sure to check back.
One last thought on which we can all agree, from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Honorary Chair of our Task Force:
At the end of the day, isn't that what it's all about?
(c) Miodrag Gajic. Image from BigStockPhoto.com
(c) Safety4Kids
Related:
At Safety4Kids we are concerned with children's safety in every aspect of their lives. And we work to provide parents with the tools that empower them to be better parents. So at what age is it okay for a child to surf the Web unattended?Lisa Bain from Parenting magazine believes a child's computer should be "out in the open", not in a closed bedroom, at least until they are old enough to know the difference between what is appropriate and what is not. Computer time should be family time, or at least a parent should be nearby supervising what their kids are doing online.
Lisa was one of the panelists at the "The National Task Force on Children's Safety", a summit co-sponsored by Safety4Kids and The Creative Coalition, held on Capitol Hill in June. Since then much work has been done to lay the groundwork for ongoing efforts to keep children safe on the Internet.
Dr. Richard Lerner, one of our frequent bloggers, has done extensive research on "critical thinking" and doesn't think those skills (the ones to know the difference between what's appropriate and what's not) emerge until a child is about 11 years old. Until then, "kids won't have the perspective necessary to make good judgments; they're concrete in their thinking and take things as if they are written in stone." This makes them vulnerable to others. Dr. Lerner goes on to say that "media literacy starts with the family. You can't have media literacy without having parental literacy."
The debate continues.
Should there be a rating system for websites, like there is for movies and television? Kerry Washington, a member of The Creative Coalition and a person who uses her celebrity to engage people in political debate, "supports the idea of a rating system for the Internet."
What do you think?
How many hours does your child spend at the computer? Do you know what they're looking at?
And let's remember that recent studies show that 95% of teachers assign projects that require using the Internet. That means that schools play a huge role in this debate.
Jan Domene, National President of the PTA, believes that Internet safety begins at home. "Parents need to be aware of what their children are looking at. What is fantasy and what is reality? Parents need to have open communications with their children so if something inappropriate happens on the Internet, their child will feel like sharing that with them."
Lynda Bergsma of the Alliance for a Media Literate America, says that "unplugging the keyboard doesn't always work. Kids will find other ways. Supervising a child can be difficult, especially if there is a single parent or both parents are working. Many parents are not media literate themselves. The most effective way to protect our kids is to incorporate media literacy in a child's education, beginning in kindergarten. With the schools' help, we could make this happen."
So what about preschoolers? Preschoolers surfing the Internet? Is this what we've come to?! The answer is a resounding yes, and it's more and more prevalent.
Tom Blair, President of Safety4Kids, was determined to develop a tool for parents of preschoolers to help them with the challenge of safeguarding their little ones on the Internet.
"Parents aren't prepared for this. We are raising the first generation of young people who have access to the Internet from the very beginning. This problem is only going to get worse, which is why we co-founded this Task Force, bringing together thought leaders from every area of our society--business, education, the arts, government--all focused on dealing with this issue. At Safety4Kids we work on many levels to deal with safety issues for kids, and one way is to create tools for the parents that are also fun for the kids. We focus a lot of our attention and expertise on preschoolers, and we have a public television show--SeeMore's Playhouse-- that teaches safety messages in a fun and engaging way. But Internet Safety is a whole different challenge. So we created SeeMore's Safety Browser, which we are offering free to parents. It's our way of helping to keep kids safe on the Internet."
Please download our browser and sit down with your kids and have some fun and talk about these issues. It's the best way to begin to ensure your child's safety on the Internet.We'll be adding more thoughts and information about Internet Safety in the coming days. Our partners and fellow bloggers have lots to say on the subject, so be sure to check back.
One last thought on which we can all agree, from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Honorary Chair of our Task Force:
"Children are America's greatest natural resource. In caring for them, we create a bright and prosperous future for our entire nation. That is why I am pleased to serve as honorary chair for The Creative Coalition and Safety4Kids' extraordinary summit, and will continue to work to create change so that all of America's children grow up safe and healthy."
At the end of the day, isn't that what it's all about?
(c) Miodrag Gajic. Image from BigStockPhoto.com
(c) Safety4Kids
Related:
3 Comments:
My sons are grown now but because had regular access to the internet from very early on. We did exactly as advised here; had one computer out in the open, always open to our eyes, etc. And there were still a few dangers along the way but we handled them.
When it comes to the internet, I think someone needs to be way beyond 11 years old before they have the kind of reasoning needed to make good judgements. Even otherwise smart and savvy adults seem to trust far too easily when it comes to sharing information and making online connections.
The most important thing any parent can do is be internet-savvy themselves. And REALLY understand the sites their children are going to, not just give them a cursory look.
Oh my gosh!
This is a great article, and I am going to download this browser for my three-year-old and send the link to my sister-in-law as well.
Thank you so much.
"CHILD IS THE FATHER OF MAN"
Elders tend to think that OLD IS GOLD, but children are always, and also must be, ahead of them in all aspects, including fantasy. Of course, elders must see safety of the children, in the first place by behaving themselves. Though, internet has revolutionized the dissemination of knowledge in this knowledge-era, yet a lot of unhealthy material is tentalizing for enticing attention of viewers, which attracts our children the most. There is simply one reason for this: MAKE QUICK MONEY. But at what cost? International regulation of display of quality information on the internet is necessary. Maybe, a body of UN has to be net-savvy now to deal with menace internationally. Dr. R. C. YashRoy
Post a Comment