A recent study by internet security firm Symantec Corp. indicates that parents might know where their children are but don't always know what they are doing on the internet.
Some findings from the study aren't really that surprising.
Overall, parents appear to underestimate how often their children encounter indiscretions online, such as receiving requests for personal information, being approached online by a stranger, and experiencing cyber pranks or bullying.
In fact, although 25 percent of U.S. children report having experienced requests for personal information, fewer than 2 in 10 parents think this is happening to their children.
Although 13 percent of U.S. children report experiencing cyber pranks, only 2 percent of parents believe their children are being cyber bullied.
I have had parents tell me that they trust their children and don't worry about their internet activities. (These are the same parents that claim their children never lie.) Hello. Welcome to the real world. Kids will be kids and that's why they need parents.
My parents held the reins tightly. If the internet had been around back then, my sister and I probably would not have had access to it. That's just not practical today. Computers are everywhere, and teaching children to be responsible internet users is very important. Parental controls and supervision are as necessary to the process of using the internet as training wheels are to learning to ride a bike. Freedom is given as it is earned, but parents must continue to be aware of the places their kids visit and the people they meet along the way.
