MySpace and Safety

Thanks to Webblogg-ed for pointing out this article.
Some highlights:
“According to a new national poll commissioned by Cable in the Classroom and conducted by Harris Interactive, 94 percent of parents are taking steps to ensure their children’s safe use of the Internet.”
“The Harris poll shows only 34 percent of parents consider themselves “very knowledgeable” about to how use the Internet in a safe and responsible way.”
“More than 80 percent of parents monitor their children’s use of the Internet, limiting home use to the living room, den or other open space.”
“More than 70 percent of parents set time limits for Internet use, and more than half are using software and filters to limit or block where the kids go online.”
“More than 70 percent of parents … expect a substantial chunk of responsibility for their children’s Internet safety falls to schools.”
“Only about half of parents (49 percent) think that government and law enforcement agencies should have a lot of responsibility in ensuring that children have safe experiences on the Internet,” the survey summary states.
“And now for the second report out this week: The number of youths sexually solicited online is actually declining.”
“Moreover, most solicitation incidents — almost 80 percent — happen on home computers. And fewer than 10 percent happen on a school or library computer.”
“Funded by the federal government and researched and written by the University of New Hampshire’s Crimes Against Children Research Center, the Online Victimization of Children report states that in 2001, 19 percent of children reported unwanted sexual solicitations over the Internet. Five years later, the number fell to 13 percent.”
Anyway, there’s some new sources of data. I am sure it can be construed to support any position but it is what it is. I’ll be relieved when the election year is over and the grandstanding winds down.
Stephen