Kids and the Internet

As a parent, as well an IT professional, I am very interested in the topic of safe computing practices for children.

A few days ago, a guy I know pointed out this article.

It caught my attention, especially since I have been managing a blog for some of the kids at my daughter's school, during their summer holidays.

Well, I found this article, and the website behind it, to be deficient.

The site is aimed towards teenagers.

It does not mention the appropriate role for parental guidance.

It does not provide them with an opportunity to evaluate or discuss the ideas presented.

It does not provide any justification for the claims and opinions presented.

To say stuff like "pose a risk to your privacy or even your personal safety" without explanation or example is not informing, it's scare-mongering.

The best threat they can come up with is the one about future employment prospects.  Give me a break!  It improves their future employment prospects.  It will help them to screen potential employers.  Any potential employer who is going to take into account what you posted to a blog when you were a kid, you don't want to work for, so there, you save yourself a wasted interview.  Doesn't the calibre of our kids ensure they will have a plethora of employment/business opportunities through life, without needing to suck up to bad employers?

On the other hand, if they post good and appropriate stuff online, there's no risk anyway.  And the way to increase that probability is to introduce them at any opportunity, within a very tight and safe environment (such as the one I provided with the blog), and teach them how to do it well.  Isn't that part of being a parent - to guide them as they learn (as they must) to distinguish what is fun from what is dangerous?

Anyway, listen, by the time our kids are old enough to get jobs, there won't be any such thing as the Internet - well, nothing like what we know it today anyway.

So let's dispense to where it belongs, this ridiculous idea that kids posting online will put their futures at risk.

So, what are the risks?  None mentioned on that website.

One possibility is that personal information will be provided, that will assist:
- a deranged non-custodial parent embroiled in a custody battle to kidnap the child
- a paedophile to conduct a targetted pre-meditated attack on the child

Do these things happen?  Yes.  Often enough to make good copy for the Women's Weekly.  But I couldn't agree that we should curtail life in case something bad happens.  In the final analysis, an extremely low risk here, and once again, the risk dramatically reduced by good parental guidance (which does not mean over-protection).

And of course, for those whose personal circumstances are such that they have to take extraordinary steps to stay incognito, well, they have to take extraordinary steps.

Another risk area is commercial exploitation, i.e. bombardment with advertising, spam, and other unsolicited marketing, because of personal information revealed.

Another risk is infecting your computer with malware via access to malicious websites.

Another risk is revealing information such as passwords, bank account numbers, etc, which can be exploited.

So yes, there are risks. Does this mean don't play?  No. It means learn to manage and minimise the risk.  It is not too soon for our kids to see the adults in their lives, their parents and teachers, managing and minimising the risk.

I like what Kimberly Moritz says:

As an adult, I have no problem discriminating, considering the source, looking at the possible bias. I have no problem avoiding the million and one websites out there that focus on nonsense.

I don't think blocking access to the web is going to teach our kids how to do those things. I'm certain that opening it up completely to students who are still developing their good sense and judgment isn't the answer either.

Good parents pay attention to what their kids are doing on-line, just like they pay attention to every other aspect of their lives.

I also like what Mary McCallum says:

Cue the 'terrorist' parent who trusts his/her children but also expects the worst and makes sure s/he is knowledgeable and curious about the things children are into, is tolerant, is non-judgemental when there are 'hiccups', and is always ready and willing to dive in unexpectedly to check on the children and their activities AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE!!

This discussion would not be complete without mention of some software!

Have a look at PC TimeWatch. It is an excellent, easy to use tool for managing computer use. It is probably more applicable for older children, who are starting to have independent access to a computer.

I have noticed that Windows Live OneCare includes a monitoring module which looks interesting.

And I understand that Windows Vista includes parental control and content managing tools, which I confess I have not checked out, but their existence is certainly indicative of a trend.

I expect tools like this will become more available and more powerful in the near future.

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