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Parents fail to protect children on internet
Adults lack knowledge to monitor use of computers and mobile phones, say charity researchers
Baffled parents lack the skills to protect their children from risks on the internet, say researchers.
They found many adults had no idea how their offspring used mobile phones and the internet.
These "alarming" knowledge gaps make it difficult for parents to protect youngsters from online porn, violence and other unsuitable content, according to children's charity NCH.
Chatrooms, emails and text messages are areas where vulnerable youngsters can be at risk from "inappropriate" contact with other users.
Children may also be on the receiving end of Internet and mobile phone-based swindles or hard-sell tactics, says an NCH report published today.
Nearly half – 46 per cent – of the 11 to 16-year-olds questioned were confident they could get around internet blocks which parents use to deny access to certain websites.
Last year the Yorkshire Post reported how Doncaster teenager Carina Stephenson, 17, was able to disable parental controls installed on her laptop computer, enabling her to visit chatrooms and websites where suicide was discussed and promoted. Her family was unaware of this until after she had taken her own life.
Kieran Hudson, 15, from Gloucestershire, also used his knowledge of computers to bypass restrictions on access to the internet. He was found dead after logging onto websites devoted to suicide for more than a year.
Other research published today also shows that in Yorkshire 40 per cent of 11 to 15-year-olds admit giving out personal details to strangers such as their real name, address, photograph, school and phone number. Twenty three per cent have also agreed to meet someone after chatting online.
NCH new technology advisor John Carr said children often lacked the worldly wisdom to steer them away from the potential hazards of the internet.
"That's where parents come in. But our research shows they need to increase their knowledge."
The NCH survey found that 67 per cent of parents did not know what a blog was and only one per cent thought their children used them.
In fact one-third of the 11 to 16-year-olds questioned regularly used the internet for blogging, where they uploaded personal details and information.
Sue Woolmore, from the NSPCC, said: "There are many details on this survey that set alarm bells ringing. Young people feel they are pretty invincible – none of them think anything nasty is going to happen to them.
"But you would not go up to a stranger in the street and give them your name, address and phone number. By doing this they're perhaps going to encourage contact with someone undesirable."
She added: "When children are young, we don't let them go out and play in the traffic. We know that we have to keep an eye on them. I think we need to adopt a similar approach for when children are on the internet."
The NCH report was based on research done in partnership with Tesco Telecoms. A survey of 1,003 parents and 1,003 youngsters aged 11 to 16 years was carried out last month by researchers from ICM. The research in Yorkshire concerned 850 secondary school pupils.
n Carina Stephenson's mother Liz Taylor is campaigning for the Government to restrict access to websites promoting suicide and is backed by the Yorkshire Post.
If you think the Government should take action, sign our online petition on www.yorkshire-today.co.uk
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Friday 25 May 2012
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