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Children and the Internet
These contemporary times are also referred to as the information age. The Internet has
transformed peoples lifestyles, while the children are able to access their schoolwork, engage in
online gaming, as well as social networking. On the other hand, the absence of a universal accord
concerning the appropriate approach in educating and safeguarding the children, amplifies the
challenges childrens online experiences. In addition, cultural as well as geographical disparities
in legal, or social values mirror the reality that there is a lack of an universally established view,
in regard to how to define a child. It also follows that, it is intricate to describe what is suitable
for children, and consequently, this makes it increasingly difficult to define unsuitable substance
and behavior (Internet Society 1). This paper will provide three methods that are useful in
protecting children from inappropriate online content.
THESIS
Children all around the globe ought to be safeguarded against detrimental influences that arise
from the use of the internet.
Why children all around the globe ought to be safeguarded against detrimental influences that
arise from the use of the internet. Measures that are intended to minimize the risk may play a
positive role in lessening the tangible damage that children may suffer through their online
activities. However, since risks in this case are positively interrelated with levels of Internet
usage, simply endeavoring to lessen risks is in addition liable to decrease childrens
opportunities. While appreciating that measures that would help in decreasing explicit risks have

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a role to play, it is also imperative to nurture strategies to raise childrens resilience, and to offer
resources which facilitate children to manage or recuperate from the result of online harm
(Olafsson 72). Offering efficient reporting tools, content categorization, privacy settings, as well
as parental controls can facilitate in lessening risk, or reducing damage. Ideally, these results
would be attained without restraining the benefits of internet usage by children.
While the usage of the Internet in educational institutions is normally filtered or
supervised, a large number of children have online access from a number of dissimilar locations.
Children also have internet access on diverse devices such as smart phones, gaming gadgets, and
tablets, which are not filtered or supervised. This implies that, while filtering is employed on the
computer at home or at the school, it is likely that children would still gain access to unfiltered
online content through other devices. It is also possible that these children would also dodge the
filters that are installed on the computer (82). Consequently, it is essential to educate children
concerning how to engage online, and to involve them in deliberating on the problems that they
might experience through their online interactions.
Conceivably the most efficient technique in taking care of perceived problems that arise
from the usage of the Internet by children, is to empower them. This helps them to understand
how to protect themselves from online criminals. The empowerment procedures would entail
teaching children concerning legal boundaries in a language that would resonate with the
children. It would also be essential to engage children in candid discussions concerning their
communities ethical and cultural values, as well as expectations. In order for the children to
appreciate and respect these values, it is the prerogative of the parents, guardians, educators, and
all private and public sector stakeholders to facilitate them in appreciating and respecting these

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boundaries and values (Internet Society 7). Empowering children also assists in safeguarding
them from vulnerable to online threats that also include scams, and viruses.
It should also be noted that, whereas there are several emergent and efficient strategies
that parents may employ in the management of their childrens usage of the Internet, children
also have devised tactics for dodging, or defying this oversight. This is additionally complicated
by the reality that children usually have more self-confidence, and proficiency in the utilization
of new media, than their parents. On the other hand, children typically will enjoy trust relations
with adults whose counsel and judgment they value. It is imperative that these adults, who are
also the trust influencers of the children, are themselves conscious of possible dangers and
solutions (Olafsson 91). Adults and trust influencers ought to be well-informed in relation to how
to successfully communicate the information to persons who consider them as role models and
reliable sources of information and counsel. It is also imperative to appreciate that these trusted
influencers change sooner or later.
Educators, guardians, parents, and the trusted influencers ought to assume an active
position in educating children concerning the risks they might experience from inappropriate
online content, and other online criminal elements. Children ought to be educated on how to
avoid these criminal elements that roam the cyber space. Children should also be instructed
concerning how to communicate confidentially with well-known acquaintances, and to be
cautious regarding sharing private information online (Internet Society 7). Evidently, in order to
teach the children efficiently, it is essential for the parents, educators, guardians, and
contemporaries to be computer savvy.
Method One. There are two essential factors that challenge the parents capability to have power
over their childrens online activities. Firstly while parents ought to be responsible for their

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childrens wellbeing, they are obliged to also value their childrens increasing independence and
privacy rights. Secondly, it is evident that few parents are entirely conversant with their
childrens online culture (9). The potential danger that the internet poses to children lies in the
reality that, the Internet can be a hazardous place for children, in the absence of appropriate
guidance. In order to safeguard children who use the internet, it is imperative that these children
receive appropriate guidance on how to avoid being vulnerable to online criminal elements. This
can be realized through candid and open discussions, in relation to cyber safety (Olafsson 51).
Studies carried out by Olafsson (65) demonstrate that, approximately 87% of parents claim that
they have instituted rules for their childrens utilization of the Internet. At the same time,
approximately 69% of parents claim that they perceive that they are conversant with what their
children do online. Yet 41% of the children assert that they do not share information of their
online dealings with their parents, while 29% assert that their parents or guardians would
disallow them to engage in any online activities if they realized that they are conversant with the
internet.
Method Two. The internet is awash with criminal elements that include pedophiles who await the
unsuspicious children. It should be noted that, it is important for parents to take up the
responsibility to educate and guide their children concerning the safe usage of the Internet. In
order to realize this end, parents ought to work in collaboration with educational institutions in
bridging the digital divide (70). The digital divide denotes the communication gap that exists
between different generations, with reference to the Internet.
Method Three. A number of online criminal activities are cross-border in character and
consequently necessitate worldwide attention. At a national perspective, policy approaches in
regard to regulation of content have largely utilized a variety of filtering methods in controlling

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access to or barricade Internet content. Additionally, while internet filtering at an institutional, or
homestead level is usually advisable, these endeavors are not 100% efficient at regulating
detrimental online content (Internet Society 1). A majority of nations worldwide have
endeavored in the development of national strategies, in regard to regulating the Internet.
However, this has been realized with differing levels of success, and on occasion with
inadvertent consequences. This is evident in the rapidly increasing number of nations, which
prefer the technique of simply restraining accessibility to Internet content. A contemporary case
in point is the Chinese administration, which has in recent times initiated a campaign to limit
accessibility to online content that it deems as inappropriate. There are a number of other nations
that have also tried to enforce Internet filtering (Olafsson 76). Normally, there are three methods
that are commonly employed in blocking accessibility to the internet. These techniques include
IP blocking, URL blocking through proxies, and DNS filtering (Internet Society 6).
CONCLUSION
Children all around the globe ought to be safeguarded against detrimental influences that arise
from the use of the internet. The provision and employment of parental controls should also take
into consideration the childrens rights. This includes the privacy and to access to information as
stipulated in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This Convention stipulates that,
persons responsible for the childs wellbeing ought to review decisions as regards wellbeing,
privacy, and expression in accordance with the development of concerned child. The Internet is
dynamic, and consequently transforms rapidly where technological control measures are
improbable to sustain their effectiveness. The most successful and resilient measures would be
those that revolve around the family unit, and the community. This includes educational

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institutions that empower children in making informed choices and consequently benefit from
the Internet.

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Works Cited
Internet Society. Children and the Internet. 2012. Web. 2 March. 2013.
Olafsson, K. Disadvantaged Children and Online Risk. London: Oxford UP, 2011. Print.