Are Our Children Safe Online?

“You’ll learn that some fears are overplayed, others are underplayed, and above all, that the Internet plays a huge part in adolescence now.”

Pogue, David (2008, February 28). How Dangerous Is the Internet for Children? The New York Times. Retrieved October 17, 2008, from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/28/technology/personaltech/28pogue-email.html?em&ex=1204606800&en=5079944ca85020db&ei=5087%0A

     The Internet has quickly become a normal part of life. It is now as common as cable television and a telephone. With this new technology comes another responsibility for parents. Just as parents need to be aware of what their children are watching, they also need to be aware f their children’s online activity.
     While there are some big dangers out there, these can be over hyped by the media. There are online predators that prey on children, but if you were to watch the news one would think all of our children would have been approached by now, but that is not the case. As parents we need to be aware of these dangers and prepare our children for these, but it is not a reason to keep our children off the Internet.
     The internet can be a wonderful place and be a great tool for learning and communication. It is important that our children are comfortable with this medium. As parents we need to teach our children how to use this new tool, but also how to deal with some of the dangers that come with it just as we teach our children about the dangers of strangers on the street.  
     We need to remember that danger is everywhere, online or not. This is no reason to scare ourselves about what can happen online because it can happen everywhere. We need to prepare our children and give them the tools they need to succeed themselves and give them the knowledge to protect themselves.