NEW research has shown Australian children are online for an average of two hours each day, among the highest internet usage rates in the world.
Mr Nick Stebbing, E-learning coordinator at Bayside P-12 College based at the Paisley Campus in Newport, said it’s important to understand the internet is a public place and like all public places there are dangers of which people have to be aware.
“Some parents who may not be very comfortable with technology may be tempted to think that their children know what they are doing,” Mr Stebbing said.
He said in his experience young people tend to be very good at using technology, but they don’t always understand it well enough to keep themselves safe.
The research, which interviewed parents of children aged 10-17 years and commissioned by Telstra, showed the top three concerns for parents of children using the internet were protecting personal information, exposure to inappropriate content and cyber-bullying.
The research found on average kids are spending 14 hours online a week and the family home is the most common place they are doing it.
“My advice to parents is that computers should be in a shared space within the house, such as the lounge or dining room,” Mr Stebbing said.
He said if something has happened to a child online parents could speak to their school who will have a range of welfare and technical staff that can offer advice.
“Also you should not hesitate to contact the police and it is a good idea to save any evidence such as text messages or emails that they might be able to use,” he said.
Another precaution to stop cyber bullying is to not let kids use the internet in their rooms, he said.
“Schools like Bayside have detailed programs aimed at encouraging students to act responsibly online and treat each other with respect,” Mr Stebbing said.