Teens Take Internet Safety Seriously
Internet safety. It’s no joke and, thankfully, teenagers feel the same way.
Researchers from the University at Buffalo and University of Maryland recently found that preteens and early teenagers who were taught about the importance of Internet privacy were more likely to practice online safety than those who weren’t.
What’s even more interesting - among teachers, friends and parents, the researchers found that parents were the most influential with their children.
Parents, there is hope for us yet!
The study also showed that girls tend to practice more protective behavior on the Web than boys. The researchers believe this is because girls consider online privacy more important than boys do.
So what happens when teens are actually confronted with an online privacy breach?
Well, the finding here is not so terrific.
Researchers say that experiencing a privacy breach online did not cause kids to improve their safety practices nor their protective behavior. This, experts say, will put them at risk for becoming victims in the future.
I find this news rather bitter sweet. It’s clear teens don’t take online security invasions seriously, however it is nice to hear that they know right from wrong as it pertains to Internet safety. This just goes to show how important it is to get Internet security in our schools. Make it part of their high school curriculum. Parents, make it part of your dinner table discussion. If we can all get through to just one child… well, at least that’s a start.
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