Families reject internet over safety fears

E.learning Age, Mar 2008

Fears about online safety are causing poorer parents anxiety, and could keep digitally excluded families offline. The warning comes from UK online centres, who surveyed the internet attitudes of parents from lower socio-economic groups.

The survey found that while three quarters of parents knew their children were regular internet users, half of them didn't think their internet or IT skills were good enough to supervise or assist with surfing.

Around 60 per cent of parents said they worried about their children using the internet. Topping the list of concerns were internet predators, inappropriate images and fraudsters, but other worries included cyber-bullying and the information children were sharing through social networking sites like Bebo and MySpace.

Around a third of parents also admitted to worrying about their lack of online know-how. Nearly all (96 per cent) of the parents surveyed recognised the internet as beneficial in helping their children understand technology and contributing to educational achievements, but offline parents need access to technology and the skills to use it to enable them to supervise their children effectively.

Helen Milner, managing director of UK online centres, said: "Technology has already changed how we live, work and socialise. Now it's changing how we bring up our children. Being a 21st century parent increasingly requires new parenting skills - you've got to look after them in the online world too."

With the government-initiated Byron Review into children's gaming and a Home Access Taskforce to provide poorer families with a computer and internet connection there is clear political appetite for tackling these issues, but UK online centres fear the focus remains too much on children and schools, and not enough on parents.

Milner added:"With more school services and homework activities involving the internet, cyber-bullying and internet predators hitting the headlines, it's not surprising that parents are anxious about their children being online. Families already at a disadvantage are three times more likely to be offline, and that means poorer parents are also more likely to be the ones worrying about their kids on the internet, and about their own ability to help and supervise them."