[AfrICANN-discuss] Are Europe's children too confident in tackling online risks?

Sun Aug 12 00:40:49 SAST 2007

Thank you AR for sharing this with us.

This has been a big concern for a while but, since communication this is a
big business (bigger than Oil, Diamonds and the like put together) and since
it is it now impossible to live without it. - what the community has to do
is continue with the vigilance and guidance.

By the way, that is the other side of the coin!!! We just have to deal with
the reality and encourage the young users (and new adults) to seek advice
before they get hit or hurt!! Everything is dangerous only that we are used
to them. Just like crossing a busy road?!

It will be wrong in every every limit the young ones use of the Internet and
their mobile - parents have to learn (quickly) to keep pace with the little
Stars!

Aluta continua!!

and well done to the little challengers!!

Cheers all

Yassin

On 10/08/07, Anne-Rachel Inné <annerachel at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> This is a concern globally.... do you know of initiatives in your
> countries? I imagine, the sooner we teach kids about security on the
> Internet in general, the better sheperds of the tool they become for
> themselves and for all of us... cheers and nice week end.
> ar
> *Are Europe's children too confident in tackling online risks? * *Can
> parents trust their 13 year old daughter when she surfs the web? Do they
> know for sure that their 11 year old son's mobile phone conversation is
> safe? A Commission survey of children from all over Europe has looked into
> how they use new media. It shows that the use of internet and mobile phones
> has become almost self-evident for Europe's young generation. In general,
> they also know the risks of using the internet and mobile phones. However,
> when facing trouble online, minors will ask an adult only as a last resort.
> *
>
> "This is the first time children all across Europe have been asked
> directly how they use online technologies, how much they browse for fun and
> for schoolwork, and how they deal with risks," says Viviane Reding, European
> Commissioner for Information Society and Media. "It is encouraging to see
> Europe's youth embrace digital technologies so confidently. The capability
> of making active use of new media is key for the development of a
> knowledge-based society in Europe. At the same time, these survey results
> underline Europe's need for proactive online media education. We must also
> continue to raise awareness about the opportunities and risks of new media,
> especially among parents. Where the security of our children is at stake,
> there can be no room for complacency."
>
> Eurobarometer's qualitative survey interviewed children of 9-10 and 12-14
> years old from all 27 EU Member States plus Norway and Iceland. They were
> asked in-depth about how they use online technologies, and how they would
> react to problems and risks when using the internet and mobile phones.
>
> The survey shows that children use technologies in very similar ways all
> across Europe. Online gaming, surfing and communication are considered as
> the top activities online while texting, and talking with parents and
> friends come out top for young mobile users.
>
> The majority use the internet several times a day, and also own a personal
> mobile phone. Internet use is to some extent limited by parents while the
> use of mobile phones is much freer and less supervised.
>
> As one child said: "My parents tell me not to stay more than one or two
> hours, because it harms your eyes. I would like to stay longer but they are
> right" (Boy, 9-10 years old, Romania)
>
> The results show that children are globally well aware of the* potential
> online risks*, such as security, viruses, access to unwanted content,
> identity theft and potential dangerous contact with strangers.
>
> "The hackers are a danger, they may spread viruses that destroy the hard
> disk or copy all that we have in the computer, passwords, documents, etc."
> (Boy, 9-10 years old, Portugal)
>
> Many of them are also well aware of the *necessary precautions* they need
> to take.
>
> "Don't give your personal data on the internet, nor your mobile phone
> number to people you don't know" (Girl, 12-14 years old, Luxembourg)
>
> Some children nevertheless admitted that they have engaged in *risky
> behaviour*, and some acknowledged that they have been victims of bullying
> and had contacts with strangers.
>
> "I met him at a station and then it was an old, nasty 44 year old man.
> Then I walked away!" (Boy, 12-14 years old, Denmark)
>
> Even though young people know about of the risks and precautions, most
> would rather try to *solve the problem themselves or with friends*, and
> would talk to their parents only as a last resort in the most serious cases.
>
> "I would tell anybody except my parents, I would be too much afraid that
> my mother finds confirmation of what she fears and prevents me from going to
> chat rooms".(Girl, 9-10 years old, Germany)
>
> Eurobarometer's results will help the Commission to further refine how the
> EU's Safer Internet programme can best contribute to internet and mobile
> phone child safety throughout Europe. It follows the agreement by European
> mobile operators, brokered by the Commission in Spring 2007, to self
> regulate their efforts to protect minors using mobile phones (see
> IP/07/139<http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/139&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en>
> ).
>
> The next Safer Internet Day will be on 12 February 2008.
>
> *Background information: *
>
> The EU's Safer Internet programme has been running since 1999, promoting a
> safer use of online technologies particularly by children, and fighting
> illegal and harmful content ranging from child abuse images to racism. The
> current phase (Safer Internet plus) will run until 2008 (see IP/06/1512<http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1512&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en>,
> MEMO/07/44<http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/07/44&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=fr>).
>
>
> The annual Safer Internet day highlights such initiatives globally and
> helps raise awareness of the issues surrounding safer use of the internet
> and new technologies (see IP/07/140<http://www.europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/07/140&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en>,
> IP/06/126<http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/126&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en>,
> IP/05/148<http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/148&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en>,
> IP/04/171<http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/04/171&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en>).
>
>
> *For more information:*
>
> http://ec.europa.eu/saferinternet
>
> Findings from the Eurobarometer on Children's use of online technologies:
>
> http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/sip/eurobarometer/
>
>
> --
> Anne-Rachel Inne
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>
>

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