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Online Dangers

Experts are urging parents to get fluent in web language to help keep their kids safe online.

Time to cast a wider safety net

THE internet presents youngsters with a world of information — and a host of new dangers. Crime Reporter Jason Evans looks at what parents need to know about the worldwide web.

DO you know what a blog or a podcast is, or do you have any idea what a chat room is?

No? Well, the chances are your children or grandchildren do.

The expressions are part of the new vocabulary of the internet, and experts are urging parents and guardians to get fluent in the language to help keep their kids safe.

The internet is a tool which offers unrivalled opportunities to discover new things, help with homework, keep in touch with people and get creative or just be very, very silly.

But there are also online dangers which parents, teachers and youngsters need to be aware of. The chance to assume different online identities presents obvious dangers. There are growing concerns about cyber bullying and predators using the internet to groom and meet potential victims.

And research shows many young net users are potentially putting themselves at risk when they log on. A survey, from online security firm Garlik, makes worrying reading. The research shows one in five children aged between eight and 15 has met up with someone they first encountered on the internet — but a massive 93 per cent of parents were unaware it was happening.

Many children also admitted giving out personal information. More than one in 10 reported giving out their home address, 20 per cent had given their mobile phone number, almost a third had given out their full name, while almost a half had revealed details of their school.

Swansea-based AM Peter Black is calling for more information about the dangers to be made available. "One way forward is better education about what lies out there and about the danger of providing certain types of information in places where it can be accessed by strangers," he said. "The problem is that to most parents, and quite a few teachers, this world is an alien landscape.

“They do not know what goes on in these forums, never mind what their children are putting up there.

“That is why we must include adults in this education programme.

“When I was a child, I was told never to have sweets from strangers.

“In this day and age, we need to expand that advice to encompass new technology and the strange world of cyberspace as well.”

Concern about what children are viewing online has led many parents to try monitoring a child’s net surfing. But this isn’t always enough. More than half of the youngsters in the Garlik survey admitted using the internet when their parents were unaware, often late at night. And four in 10 children confessed to regularly visiting websites which had been banned by their parents.

John Carr, internet safety consultant for children’s charity NCH Cymru, said: “These statistics are a reminder that parents and children need to up their game with the internet. “It is clear through such statistics that we can’t just rely on websites and the internet industry to educate on internet safety. It’s not working.

“We need to get reading material into people's hands to teach them about the internet.

“Parents need to understand that the internet is not a new thing, it’s a part of children’s lives and they should integrate it and show the attention they would as if it was a child’s school friend.”

The police too are concerned about the risks youngsters face when they surf the internet.

Detective Inspector Marc Lamerton, of South Wales Police’s public protection unit, said: “It is vital young people stop and think of the dangers of speaking to people online.

“It’s a fact that where children go, sexual predators may follow.

“Children understand the dangers of talking to strangers they meet on the street, but can be less cautious and wary when strangers approach them online.

“They are often using their computer at home and feel they are in a safe environment and don’t think there is a danger.

“But the fact is there is no way of knowing who you are really talking to online.

“Children may think they are talking to a fellow 14-year-old who shares their interests, but it could be a 40-year-old man.”

Inspector Lamerton added: “Parents should know which websites their children are using and should not let children use chat rooms unless properly supervised.

“Young people should never give out personal details, including which school they go to, and should never agree to meet anyone they have met online.”

A Guide to net-speak

• BLOG Like an online journal, with articles displayed in chronological order. Subjects vary from serious political commentary to the bizarre.
• CHAT ROOM A virtual “room” where people can meet and send messages to each other.
• FACEBOOK A social networking site which allows users to post photographs and details of themselves, leave messages and create links between online friends.
• FORUM Like a community notice board, where visitors can read and submit topics.
• MYSPACE a site which allows users to create a profile giving details of interests, activities, background and so on.
• PHISHING  Web pages made up to look like authentic sites from well-known banks, shops or other organisation which are designed to trick people into giving personal or confidential information.
• YOUTUBE A site where users can display homemade video clips and watch others’ clips.
• WIKIPEDIA  Online encyclopedia where users help to write the entries.