Parents need help to keep their kids safe online
“Parents need help now to understand the technologies their kids take for granted, and to learn how to keep their kids safe on the Internet, before it’s too late”
That was the stark message from Internet safety consultant Charles Conway*, speaking to representatives of the Welsh Assembly, voluntary organisations and churches from across Wales at the Flintshire Gweini Conference** in Mold on Friday (21st October).
Quoting the latest OFCOM media literacy survey, he said that whilst up to 70% of parents say that they know less about the Internet than their children, only 37% have taken the most basic steps to protect their kids from Internet related threats such as cyberbullying, inappropriate content and grooming.
According to Conway, a consultant with Wrexham based e-safety training firm Clear as Crystal Training and the editor of popular scam awareness website Scam Detectives, the key to keeping kids safe online is for their parents to understand how they use Internet connected technologies, and to become more aware of what risks they face when they do get online.
“We need to take the online safety message off the Internet and into the community groups where parents are getting together” he said. “Whilst there are some fantastic resources on the internet to support parents, if they don’t understand the technology, and don’t know what questions they should be asking, they can’t know where to look for the answers”.
He was critical of parents who allow younger children to join social networking websites such as Facebook in contravention of the “no under 13’s” rule.
“Facebook is not suitable for young children” he said “When parents allow younger children to join the site, they not only put them at risk of cyberbullying and exposure to inappropriate material but also of contact with strangers who may mean to do them harm. Even if Facebook was completely safe for young kids, allowing them to have an account when they’re under-age teaches them that the rules don’t apply to them and that it’s OK to lie about their age to get what they want, which isn’t a healthy message for them to learn from their parents.”
He said that parents have to take online safety as seriously as teaching their kids to cross the road, and to apply the same principles.
“Yes, with opportunity comes risk and children need to be prepared for that risk. But we teach our children to cross the road safely, we don’t push them in front of a bus and hope they get out of the way in time. By allowing them to use the Internet without guidance and supervision, we’re pushing them in front of that bus.”
Despite the risks, he says that the Internet is a “hugely positive space” for our kids.
“When you look beyond the risks of cyberbullying, inappropriate content and contact with strangers, the Internet has opened up a whole world of opportunity for our kids. Employers will expect them to have the skills that they need to update the Company website, process online orders and to harness the power of social media to engage potential clients, and if we don’t allow them to learn those skills, we risk failing them as parents and putting them at a distinct disadvantage. So we need to balance our responsibility as parents to keep our kids safe with our responsibility to encourage them to learn how to use the technology effectively”.
He concluded by asking Government, schools, voluntary organisations and churches to commit resources to training parents in online safety issues.
“These parents need our help. Before it’s too late”.
Footnotes:
* Charles Conway is the editor of online safety website “Scam Detectives” and an online safety trainer at Wrexham based Clear as Crystal Training, providing internet safety training to parents, teachers, social workers, foster carers and children. Twice shortlisted for the prestigious “Nominet Internet Award” for “making the Internet safer”, Charles is passionate about the vulnerability of children online and helping those who care for them to “bridge the gap” between what they know about the ‘net and what their children know to help them to make informed choices about their children’s internet activity. He’s also an associate member of the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS).
** Gweini Serving the Christian Voluntary Sector was established in October 1999 by Care for Wales, Cornerstone Church Swansea, Evangelical Alliance for Wales and Tearfund. Gweini is run under the umbrella of the Evangelical Alliance Charity No 212325 and is known as the Council of the Christian Voluntary Sector in Wales, previously called the Council of Christian Community Work in Wales.
Cleaning Contractor in Wrexham
HI Charles, younger children are not emotionally ready for sites like Facebook – even 13 can be too young. I agree the communication has to be offline and in schools and to parents.
Parents must pay attention to who their kids are talking to.
Hi Charles,
I take internet safety very seriously and none of my three children were allowed internet access in their rooms until they were 16. I know this probably seems harsh and over the top, but after a few half-hearted complaints they soon got used to the idea and it was just the way it was in our house.
I’m a big fan of the internet and its potential, but there’s an awful lot of rubbish out there and it certainly pays to be aware of all the scams and possible risks. With information comes the power to make good choices.
Hi Charles,
I think your advice is vitally important. It’s amazing how many parents don’t know what what their children are involved in online. I totally agree about the precautions of using Facebook. What we teach children about how to protect themselves is such a vital life skill that it is important for communities to talk about, it as it affects everyone
Thank you all for your comments.
Sarah: I completely agree. Facebook is not for kids. Apart from the risks of contact with strangers and the obvious privacy issues, some of the content is simply horrific. Parents who allow their under 13′s to use Facebook despite the age limit need a kick up the arse!
Angela: I don’t think your Internet rules were OTT at all and I applaud you for sticking to your guns. If only more parents were as strong as you.
Anita: Again, I agree. Most parents teach kids from a very early age not to talk to strangers in parks, in shops or at the school gates, yet that advice goes out of the window when they get online. The audience at the conference were absolutely gobsmacked at the percentage of kids with complete strangers on their Facebook friends list, but most of them had no idea there even WAS an age limit!