Top Ten Internet Safety Myths

Top Ten Internet Safety Myths

Here are the top ten internet safety myths according to the EU Kids Online researchers.

1. Digital natives know it all: Only 36 per cent of 9-16-year-olds say it is very true that they know more about the internet than their parents. This myth obscures children’s needs to develop digital skills
2. Everyone is creating their own content: The study showed that only one in five children had recently used a file-sharing site or created an avatar, half that number wrote a blog. Most children use the internet for ready-made content
3. Under 13s can’t use social networking sites: Although many sites (including Facebook) say that users must be aged at least 13, the survey shows that age limits don’t work – 38 per cent of 9-12-year-olds have a social networking profile. Some argue age limits should be scrapped to allow greater honesty and protective action
4. Everyone watches porn online: One in seven children saw sexual images online in the past year. Even allowing for under-reporting, this myth has been partly created by media hype
5. Bullies are baddies: The study shows that 60 per cent who bully (online or offline) have themselves been bullied. Bullies and victims are often the same people
6. People you meet on the internet are strangers: Most online contacts are people children know face-to-face. Nine per cent met offline people they’d first contacted online – most didn’t go alone and only one per cent had a bad experience
7. Offline risks migrate online: This is not necessarily true. While children who lead risky offline lives are more likely to expose themselves to danger online, it cannot be assumed that those who are low-risk offline are protected while online
8. Putting the PC in the living room will help: Children find it so easy to go online at a friend’s house or on a smartphone that this advice is out of date. Parents are better advised to talk to their children about their internet habits or join them in some online activity
9. Teaching digital skills reduces online risk: Actually the more digital skills a child has, the more risks they are likely to encounter as they broaden their online experience. What more skills can do is reduce the potential harm that risks can bring
10. Children can get around safety software: In fact, fewer than one in three 11-16 year-olds say they can change filter preferences. And most say their parents’ actions to limit their internet activity is helpful