Teens & the Internet: Keeping our Youth Safe By Adrienne Vaughan, Graduate Assistant, Alabama A&M University

Do you own a computer with Internet access in your home? When was the last time you engaged in a lengthy conversation with a total stranger or released personal information to a "friendly" Web friend? Currently, the Internet is one of the most widely used information and communication resources in the world, particularly by teens. The Internet provides teens with millions of informative sites that are great for educational purposes; however, there are risks involved.

According to the CRC Health Group, young people spend every free moment on the computer playing games alone or with others over the Web, chatting in chat rooms, instant messaging, or just surfing various sites. The majority of their Internet activity is unrelated to school work and some teens may even engage in illegal Internet activities such as hacking or copyright infringement. Furthermore, teenage boys tend to investigate pornography sites, while teenage girls tend to engage in risky online chatting where pedophiles frequently visit to prey on young teens.

Popular websites are MySpace, Facebook, Hi5, Bearshare, Live Journal, and Xianz that allow teens to easily communicate with friends, family, and millions of other Web users worldwide. Consequently, how safe are these websites? These websites allow teens to design personal Web pages that include their name (nickname), age/date of birth, hometown/residency, schools, affiliated clubs/organizations, marital status, interests, hobbies, up to 200 pictures, and the list continues. The information provided on these websites makes it very easy for child predators to become aware of a teen's whereabouts and to easily identify him or her in a crowd of people due to pictures and other personal information posted on their Web page. The Internet has many risks and teens need to know how to protect themselves.

In an article by Denise Witmer titled What Parents Need to Know about Teens and Internet Usage (2006), she provides the risks of Internet use for teenagers and their parents as follows:

• Invasion of personal information
• Exposure to inappropriate material
• Being harassed
• Online purchases

In addition, according to a report by Amanda Lenhart for the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 1,100 youth between the ages of 12 to 17 and their parents were surveyed on Internet safety for youth. The results revealed that 19 million youth lived in homes with Internet access and the number of youth living in homes with Internet safety filters has grown from 7 million in the year 2000 to 12 million today. Although over the years more parents are using safety filters on their computers, the statistics show the following:

• Eighty-one percent of parents of online teens say that teens are not careful enough when giving out personal information and 79 percent teens agree with this notion.
• Sixty-nine percent of all parents and 64 percent of all teens say that teens do things online they would not want their parents to know about.

Here are a few tips to help protect teens while on the Internet:

• Do not give out personal information such as your full name, home address, social security number, private passwords, names of family members, credit card information, or school names.
• Beware of who you are chatting with online. Chat rooms are flooded with people who do not reveal their true identity, claiming to be someone else (younger/older individual).
• Do not meet online strangers in person.
• Be careful when posting pictures that reveal school logo, name, or location.
• Use safety filters on your computer to prevent inappropriate pop-up materials and websites.
• Everyone online claiming to be your friend is NOT your friend.

Internet use is beneficial and exciting; however, it is important for teens and parents to understand that precaution measures must be taken to ensure the safest Internet experience possible.

Teens and their parents should consider discussing the risks and benefits of Internet use and how to prevent or avoid risky and uncomfortable situations.

References

Lenhart, Amanda. (March 17, 2005). Protecting teens online. Pew Internet & American Life Project. Retrieved March 31, 2008.

Magid, Larry. (2004). Teen safety on the information highway. National Center Missing & Exploited Children. Retrieved March 31, 2008.

Neumors Foundation. (August 2006). Internet safety: Safe surfing tips for teens. Nemours Foundation. Retrieved January 18, 2008.

CRC Health Group. (2008). Teens and the internet. Tough Teens & Tough Solutions. Retrieved March 31, 2008.

Witmer, Denise. (2008). What parents need to know about teens and internet usage. About.com: Parenting of Adolescents. Retrieved March 31, 2008.

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