Parents, do you know how many hours your kid spends a day on the internet? Are you aware of their activities? Of what they know they can or can’t do while connected?
Here are some facts from the Norton Online Family Report 2010 which is based on a survey last April here in the Philippines.
1. Filipino kids are spending 18 hours a week online and 4 out of 10 parents are not aware of the extent to which children download music and videos online. This leads to exposure to inappropriate content or disclosure of personal details.
2. 50% of parents always know what their child looks at online.
- 60% of kids have been exposed to violent/nude images online
- 75% of kids have downloaded a virus
- 67% of kids have responded to an online scam
- 53% of kids claimed that someone tried to get them do something online that they thought was wrong
- 52% of kids claimed that someone they don’t know tried to meed them in the real world
3. 89% of children in the Philippines have had a negative online experience but only 75% of parents knows this
Pretty alarming numbers huh? The thing is, some parents think that they are inadequate to talk to their kids regarding online safety because they think kids know more about the internet than them. It may be true but parents know more about the real world.
Now the good news is that kids actually want more parental involvement in their online lives. It’s not enough to have parental controls in the computer or establish house rules. What’s also important is the constant communication between the parent and kid regarding online safety.
If you want a tool that will give you details about your kids’ internet habits and activities, you can try the FREE award-winning Norton Online Family service. It’s not designed to spy on your kid’s online activities. It’s made to be transparent and foster communication between you and your kid. Click here to learn more.
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The Norton Online Family Report 2010 is based on research conducted in April 2010 by The Leading Edge, an independent market research firm, on behalf of Symantec Corporation. The online survey polled 556 adults aged 18+ (of which 114 were parents of children aged 10-17 completed a separate parent focused survey) and 105 children aged 10-17 (who spend 1+ hour online per week) in the Philippines.
