by Charlotte Margel
“The internet is dangerous.” You hear it all the time. You know that kids have the ability to come across hazardous and inappropriate websites, but how aware are you of how dangerous it actually is? How many websites are there out there that can cause damaging effects on children? Does the internet really have the ability to ruin a child’s future? As a parent do you understand and truly know the effects the internet can have and the websites to look out for? This past June was the National Internet Safety Awareness Month, but the majority of you probably did not know this. Our unawareness to this cause parallels greatly with the lack of awareness about all of the dangers that are on the internet.
The internet provides children with many benefits by enabling them to research, work in online homework groups, and socialize with friends. However, there are also many dangerous and inappropriate websites out there that can be harmful to your child if you are not aware and don’t take the appropriate action. These dangers include harassment and bullying, sexual solicitation, and illegal content. Many of you don’t realize that your children can come across very inappropriate content, and some even go searching for it. For children of the age seven and under, “porn” is the fourth most searched word in popular internet search engines. This disturbing and surprising fact is a wakeup call that you need to take control and educate your children. The purpose of National Internet Safety Awareness Month is to make you and your children aware of all of the dangers online, and to take caution when using the internet. While many parents may think, “not my child,” it is important for them to understand that the internet can cause a great amount of damage and expose their children to very inappropriate content. One in three teens has experienced online harassment (Nooga.com), and studies show that cyber bullying has become an even greater problem since 2007.
ScreenRetriever can help you educate your children how to properly use the internet for all of the benefits it has to offer, and avoid the consequences that can arise from its use. You will see what your child is typing into popular search engines such as Google, and have the ability to bust the person who is cyber-bullying your child when they are online at night. By using ScreenRetriever, you can educate your children how to properly use the internet and stay safe.
