Thread:Pros and Cons- Khang Nguyen (1)

1) What are some pros and cons to the use of the Internet by children?
Pros:



-Low-income kids got better grades and test scores in reading after being given home Internet access. (WebMD)

-Linda Jackson, PhD studies show that kids that spent more time at home on the internet had higher grade-point averages and reading test scores. (WebMD)

-The internet provides a wide selection of resources such as http://www.our-kids.org/okothersites.html that will direct children to safe sites that support their needs.

-Children with disabilities can find special education and early intervention programs at sites like http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/school.htm

-Government regulations like Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) require websites to explain their privacy policies to make internet safer for children.

-There are softwares that keep networking sites like Facebook safer are being implemented to keep kids from trouble. (WSJ)

Cons:

-Message boards about self-harm create bad influence for children. (WebMD)

-Search engines might lead children to pornographic material. (WebMD)

-Using the internet might unintentionally lead to pornographic addiction. (CBN)

-Playing online games could become a bad addiction. (Symantec)

-The following addiction traits and behaviors based on The Canyon: Renowned Rehab and Substance Abuse Treatment Center (thecyn) could happen:

* Spending hours online without a break. * Preferring to spend time with a computer over friends and family. * Lying about the amount of time spent online. * Hiding what you do online. * Checking email several times an hour. * Family complains about the amount of time spent online. * Thoughts are always on the Internet – even when offline. * Logging on while at work or school instead of working or studying. * The first thing an addict does when family leaves the house is log on.

What we can do:

-Have moderators, online tools for parental control, get involve with children, and talk to kids about internet use. More information and tips can be found at KidsHealth and PCWorld’s articles.