Survey reveals 84 per cent of parents base safe internet usage on a verbal agreement

Parents are relying too heavily on simple trust that their children doing as they are asked to when using the internet, according to research from BroadbandChoices.co.uk.
84 per cent of parents polled across the UK said that they rate a verbal agreement with their children on safe Internet usage as their number one means of monitoring online activity. This comes in the wake of a worrying Ofcom report which has found parents are ignorant of the danger posed to millions of children by social networking websites such as Facebook, Bebo and Myspace.
Michael Phillips, product director of BroadbandChoices.co.uk, said: “Ofcom’s study shows children using sites such as Facebook and Bebo are at greater risk from pedophiles and bullies. Children are bypassing online age restrictions to put reams of intensely personal detail about themselves online.”
“In light of this it’s surprising that so many parents rely heavily on their child doing what they ask – it just isn’t going to happen in most cases and the recent Ofcom report highlights the dangers the Internet can pose.
“With the recent growth in wireless broadband it’s likely that children are going to spend even more time unsupervised on the Internet. However, there are a few simple steps parents can take to bolster protection for their child when online. Rather than relying on a single approach, they should use parental control and security software, combined with education, to stop inappropriate material – and people – reaching their child.”
The poll also asked children aged 11-16 what they had actually been doing online during the school holidays. The top three activities were:
1. Downloading music and photos (48 per cent)
2. Joining in with chat rooms and making new friends online (45 per cent)
3. Using social networking sites such as MySpace, Bebo and Facebook (40 per cent)
“The wide availability of the Internet has made ‘stranger danger’ omnipresent. Parents need to be made more aware of the simple checks that they could put in place to safeguard their children who are increasingly using the Internet to build new relationships.
“As well as the possible safety threats posed by the Internet, your child’s online activities could land you a bigger bill at the end of the month. With 48 per cent of children regularly downloading from the Internet, usage allowances could easily be exceeded and parents could find themselves out of pocket at the end of the month if they aren’t able to monitor it,” concluded Phillips.
BroadbandChoices.co.uk’s, top five tips for protecting your children online
1. Parental control software: Some ISPs like AOL and BT offer parental controls as part of their service, while other users can get them with their antivirus and security suites. Parental controls allow you to block certain sites and keywords, apply different settings for different age groups and monitor your child’s online activity. You can also use the Messenger Plus! program to keep a log of conversations they might be having using Instant Messenger.
2. Education: Completely banning older children from the Internet is unlikely to stop them from using chatrooms and social networking sites, so instead, explain why they need to be careful on the Internet and make sure they know never to give out personal information or meet strangers without an adult around.
3. All on one PC: Keeping the family computer in the living room is a great way of ensuring that your children stay safe online. They’re far less likely to spend time in chatrooms or downloading illegally if their parents are in the same room. Also, make sure that you’re set as the administrator on any PC in the home, so that only you can change the settings on your parental control software.
4. Antivirus and firewall software: Using security software to protect your PC will also protect your child from spam emails with inappropriate content, and phishing emails where they could give out personal information including bank details.
5. Monitor downloads: If you’re concerned about the affect your children’s downloading is having on your monthly usage allowance, use a Download Monitor such as ours to keep an eye on downloads and set alarms to alert you when you near your limit.
(Source: responsesource.com)