INTERNET AND THE CHILDREN: An Outlook

The internet is so far one of the greatest inventions of our time. It has made it possible for us to do many things. Through Skype and Facebook, we can communicate, interact and share ideas with people who are away from us and living in geographically segmented countries. We can watch videos on YouTube and use blogs to make money.

We all know that there is an age for everything. When a child under 13-years of age ventures the world of internet, he is exposed to far more matured content then what he is prepared for. The fascination on the internet that contributes to addiction are largely overlooked. Just because kids seem tech-savvy at increasingly younger ages, does not necessarily mean that their brains are developing at the same rate as their digital acumen. Children are easily influenced by it. They do not know how to say ‘no’ to something which they must stay away from.

There have been instances where the bullying took place on social networking sites which led to depression in children; even suicides in some cases. Social media sites also suggest the minimum age to open an account be 13 years. Unfortunately, many ignore the age restrictions as they choose a false birth date to explore the enticing world of social networking. Parent’s knowledge and consent must be essential for a child. Many parents do provide it but are not paying required attention to their child’s digital activities. Proper supervision and monitoring have their merits, and parents at times fail to acknowledge these. Children are not mature; they do not have the intelligence to make smart decisions online. They are also not ethically capable thinkers.

Children are not aware of their digital footprints and do not know how permanent they become. A simple photo, a comment can grow a base for people to take advantage of someone, and so their personal information is at risk. When they are exploited, they become too frightened to speak up.

Access to internet spoils class lessons as it can be challenging to concentrate on studies. A child may still be stuck in the digital world while being physically present in the school or on the sports ground. Parents also observe that even ‘child-friendly’ websites have inappropriate advertisements or pop-ups. They come while children are playing games or watching videos. These often lead to exposure to content which is not advised for child viewing and may cause the development of bad habits in some too. It is understood that children are tempted to go online, and this becomes a significant problem.

The internet is swamped with information about anything and everything, but children do not know what to see and where to stop. So, it is a collective responsibility of parents and guardians to let a child enjoy the ‘real-life’ and be prevented from hazards of ‘digital life’.