EXPAND 4: Families Wise Up to Importance of Online Safety

Kirk, J. (2009, March 16). Survey: Families wise up to importance of online safety. PCWorld. Retrieved from http://www.pcworld.com/buisnesscenter/article/161344/survey_families_wise_up_to_importance_of_online_safety.html

With all the alarming articles we read about kids and the dangers on the internet, it is refreshing to read an article like this where families are becoming more savvy about Internet safety. This article relays information from a Global Norton Online Living Report of adults and children in several countries. The results showed that more children admit getting caught as well as more software to control internet use. Parents are joining their kids in social networks to be another watchful eye on their children. But the article brings up a good point. What's the balance between trusting your kids and respecting their privacy or establishing rules and limiting their use on the internet? This article was a listing under the chapter for Virtual Worlds in Brooks-Young. In a technological world, more and more kids are becoming the pro's of technology over the older generation. They are technological native compared to the immigrants of their parents. Because children are becoming more technology savvy then their parents, it is even more important for parents to do all they can to wise up to online safety. Even in virtual worlds parents need to be doing all they can to learn about the different worlds and talking to their children about safety. So going back to the balance - what is the balance? I guess the right answer would be a safe balance of both. Every family needs to find out themselves what their level of trust is when it comes to their children but at the same time establishing boundaries so that their children will be safe stewards of their online worlds. Teachers need to help out parents in this way so it will be interesting to see what happens in my class when my students are engaging in the internet. I hope to be a teacher and a parents who knows the correct balance between the two.