NEWS Parents that lack internet skills could be damaging their children's education and job prospects - leaving them on the wrong side of the growing digital divide.
According to research by academics at the London School of Economics, many parents lack the skills to guide their children's internet use.
The survey of 1,511 young people, aged nine to 19, and 906 parents also warns of a group of 'disengaged youth' that is least likely to engage with the internet, and least likely to have net access at home.
Sonia Livingstone, Professor of Social Psychology based in LSE's media and communications department, said: "Now that many young people rely on the internet for information, homework help and careers guidance, the more it matters that some of them are getting left behind. Not knowing how to best use the internet may have a negative impact on their education and employment opportunities."
Children who are daily and weekly users have parents who also use the internet more often and are more expert, the survey found. These web-savvy children tend to be middle-class teenagers, and those with home access.
One way to improve parents' internet awareness is to ensure that literacy initiatives are also targeted at parents.
"Fearful parents may take too rigorous an approach to restricting online access completely and thereby leave their children less aware of online risks, such as chat room dangers, when they do use the internet," the report added.
Professor Livingstone said: "Of the parents we surveyed, 18 per cent - nearly a fifth - said they don't know how to help their children use the internet safely. Many recognised their own responsibility: 67 per cent wanted more and better advice for parents, but 75 per cent also wanted more and better teaching guidance in schools."
Meanwhile online content for the internet-savvy continues to grow, with increasing availability of broadband the main driver.
Western European revenues for consumer online content will nearly double in 2005, reaching more than €3bn and up to €16bn in 2008, according to figures from EITO.
More than a third of the present consumer online content market consists of online video, which will pass the €1bn mark this year.
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1. anonymous
There are still books and libraries. The internet is not the end all, be all. There are many things that you cannot learn on internet, and if you want computer literacy mandated/required of parents, then you should totally fund the needed expenses. That also includes the cost of service, equipment and schooling, without raising taxes or fees.
Civilization developed, without computers, to a high standard. There are many invasions of privacy and lifestyles, by governments and corporations, that more ways to control and invade people's lives are not wanted.
2. anonymous
Unfortunately an Internet-illiterate government is also condemning many children to years of Web addiction.
The government assumes that the more money it throws into IT for schools, and the more it encourages parents to invest in PCs and broadband, the better it is for students.
We followed the government's lead and now my 17-year-old son is highly addicted to multi-player games on the Internet. His academic career has come to a complete standstill. If this happens to your family, do whatever you can to get rid of the connection, no matter what threats the child makes. (For those of us who work from home via a company-provided broadband line, this can be very difficult.)
Do not believe anyone or any institution which says or implies that only good can come from installing a broadband line at home.
3. reachnet
To the previous Analyst.
Talking with your heart rather than your head?
Bottom line - the Net is just a reflection of human society (warts n' all).
Kids in particular need access at a young age to allow them to develop the individual awareness of what is valuable to them and what isn't.
Being fed a belief system based on political agendas only serves to create a market for more brain-dead, lying, scheming politicians who are always motivated by their own petty insignifcant, irrelevant little money/control agendas. Creates a nation of individuals who lose the ability/willingness to reason for themselves and to stand up for what they believe in.
For me that means completely unrestricted access (including to games/porn) with no age restrictions and parents who are wise enough to let their kids see the truth (they will find out anyway). May create some short-term "blips" in kids "growing pains", but human nature is what it is. Life gets easier when you accept that.
4. anonymous
Anonymous from Texas exemplifies the root problem with all public education. Parents have responsibility for their children’s education, not the state. Demands such as Anonymous’ are tantamount to unfunded mandates.