2. Discuss the risks and benefits of children’s Internet use. What can be done to improve online safety? Children now have easier access to the internet through computers, mobile phones and laptops. Children are taught how to use a computer during their primary education, most educational activities are done using the internet such as homework help and research. Children can also use the internet in their spare time to play games, watch videos and chat to their friends all of which is very beneficial. However there are also many risks when it comes to internet use for instance chatting to strangers from all over the world, the ease of anonymity that child predators take advantage of, indecent images or videos and cyber bullying. A child’s …show more content…
“Half of UK children go online via a mobile device - 26% report handheld access to the internet (e.g. iPod Touch, iPhone or Blackberry) and an additional 33% access the internet via their mobile phone.” (Livingstone, S., Haddon, L., Görzig, A., and Ólafsson, K. 2011, p7.) This statistic shows that 50% children have access to a mobile or handheld device by which they can use the internet, this could suggest that monitoring has become more difficult for parents due to mobile devices as they are not always aware of what their children do on the internet, so monitoring on a home computer used to be more …show more content…
Traditional bullying is slightly different to cyberbullying as it is more direct and could involve physical violence. Cyberbullying lacks physical interaction and can cause psychological harm to the victim bully’s to be more verbally aggressive online compared to how they would behave in person. The psychological impact on a child can get worse overtime, they may find it harder to run from the situation especially when in a private chatroom. (Livingstone, S., Haddon, L., Görzig, A., and Ólafsson, 2012, p.142-143.) References Livingstone, S., Haddon, L., Görzig, A., and Ólafsson, 2012, p.6. Children, risk and safety on the internet: Research and policy challenges in comparative perspective. Livingstone, S., Haddon, L., Görzig, A., and Ólafsson, K. 2011, p.7. Risks and safety on the internet: the UK report. LSE, London: EU Kids Online. Livingstone, S., Haddon, L., Görzig, A., and Ólafsson, 2012, p.142-143. Children, risk and safety on the internet: Research and policy challenges in comparative perspective. Essay Plan Discuss the risks and benefits of children’s Internet use. What can be done to improve online