As technology advances, the prospective dangers which threaten our children become more apparent, especially in online platforms. In recent years, the amount of internet use has grown significantly, as children can often find entertainment surfing the web.

According to statistics, most of our children use the internet prolifically, for various purposes. Last year, the American Psychological Association conductive extensive surveying on this issue, questioning over one million teens on their internet habits. These statistics reveal that over 71% of teenager’s possess online profiles, and nearly all of them have subscribed to some sort of emailing service.

Additionally, it has been recorded that 64% of teenagers have, at some point, publicly posted vulnerable information about themselves on the web. By doing this, teenagers place themselves in jeopardy of befalling dangerous incidents, as a result of the information they have disclosed. In this same survey, it was found that over 16% of teenagers have been asked to perform a face-to-face meeting with an online acquaintance, though most have been smart enough to decline. This statistic, which does not include the large amount of teenagers who post pictures of themselves online, confirms the risk which we take by granting continual internet use to our teenagers.

When the internet was first introduced, it revealed a positive experience which would allow future generations a wholesome and enriching environment. However, though the internet is still a great resource, it has also opened up the door to dangerous, unsolicited perils. As parents, it is now our responsibility to emphasize the positive qualities of this resource.

While social networks and chatting facilities are a great form of entertainment, they must be used shrewdly, and should be considered with the appropriate discretion.

For more information on how to monitor your children’s internet use, visit http://www.onlinesafetysite.com/P1/Teenstats.htm