Shocking Statistics about Internet Use
Okay, I know how popular computers and the internet are to kids, but come on… this is ridiculous. As I read the newspaper this morning, a single article - buried in the back of the front page - hit me like a ton of bricks. Startling statistics out of Canada reveal the powerful grip the internet has on teens. Even worse, it seems kids actually feel safe while they’re surfing the net.
Just read some of these stats.
- 73% of teens own their own computer; 63% own a cellphone; 41% a web cam; 86% an MP3 player.
- On the Internet, the top five daily activities — and they are done in almost equal amounts — are: e-mail, instant messaging, music, social networking sites and work
- On average, kids spend close to three hours a day on the Internet.
- 80% of them use social networking sites and share a lot of personal information but they still feel safe; 37 percent of them have 200 or more friends on their social networking site.
- Most teens feel “pretty safe” on the Internet and see it as a social, friendly, entertaining place to go.
Are you as shocked as I am right now? This should be a wake up call to law enforcement, legislators, and parents about the vulnerability surrounding our kids internet use. The internet is not a safe place and it never will be until parents step up to the plate and implement new ‘rules’ for computer use in the household. Also, I might add, politicians need to do their jobs and make internet safety and cyber legislation a priority.
These statistics are cause for alarm, not applause. In fact, they make me sick to my stomach. What happened to the days when television was our kids biggest influence?
