EU study shows the kids are alright
Parents, fear not, as the risks faced by the youth on the Internet are not as huge as you may think, new EU-funded research shows. The findings are an outcome of the EU Kids Online survey, which highlights two main issues: firstly, only a small minority of young people encounter problems on the Internet, and secondly, just a fraction of this group has been negatively affected as a result. The study was funded under the Safer Internet Programme which promotes the safer use of the Internet for children and young people, and the fight against illegal and harmful content and conduct. A research network carried out the EU Kids Online survey in 25 European nations, spotlighting the uses, activities, risks and safety of the experiences children have with the Internet. The network is made up of experts and is led by the London School of Economics in the UK. The results show that parents and children have a more harmonious relationship when it comes to dealing with the Internet compared with television use. It should be noted, however, that around 50% of those parents whose children faced problems online were unaware of the troubles their kids encountered. A total of 25,140 users aged 9 to 16 and their parents participated in the survey that ran between May and August 2010. The volunteers were tested inside their homes during this period. The researchers found that 93% of the 9-16 year-olds connect to the Internet at least once a week, and 60% are online every day or for most of the week. They spend around 90 minutes surfing the Internet every day. About half them say they have an easier time being 'themselves' online, but have difficulties when placed in a 'face-to-face' environment. Boys and children from low socioeconomic status families are more likely to describe themselves in this way. Children in Denmark and Sweden are the youngest children to start using the Internet (age 7), followed by those in other northern European countries at age 8, and France at age 9. The research also shows that 87% of European youth surf the Internet from home, 63% at school, 53% with friends and 42% with other family members. Almost 50% prefer to use the Internet from the comfort of their bedrooms, while 39% prefer a shared space. The data show that most young people participate in social networks, such as Facebook, and that their activity intensifies as they get older. Social network profiles exist for 81% of 15-16 year-olds, against 59% of 9-16 year-olds, and 26% of 9-10 year-olds. Nearly a quarter of the profiles are public, and girls are more likely to maintain private profiles. Most kids communicate with people they know or who are friends of friends. The findings reveal that one in four children communicate with strangers through games, chats or virtual worlds. With respect to the two biggest Internet-related problems children face, the experts point to excessive Internet use and the youth accessing unhealthy content. The findings show that 21% of 11-16 year-olds encounters unhealthy content. A breakdown shows that 12% of the unhealthy content is linked to hate messages directed against specific groups; 10% is pro-anorexia nervosa content; 7% is self-mutilation encouragement; 7% concerns drug-taking; and 5% is about suicide. The EU Member State least affected by unhealthy content is France, with only 14% of its youth being affected versus 21% of all young Europeans, and 43% of young Czechs and Norwegians. The data indicate that the 23% of 11-16 year-olds that face negative experiences are affected by lack of sleep, school woes and friend neglect. The experts say the children most affected by online problems are a small minority of 12%. The study also highlights how teachers can play a key advisory role, particularly with respect to older teens and children from low socioeconomic status families. They survey was conducted in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the UK.For more information, please visit: London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE):http://www2.lse.ac.uk/home.aspxSafer Internet Programme:http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/sip/index_en.htmCNRS Délégation Paris-Michel Ange:http://www.cnrs.fr/paris-michel-ange/To download the results of the EU Kids Online survey, click: here