An interesting finding from the UK ChildLine's just-released report: "For the first time in the charity's 28-year history, more counselling took place online (59%) than by telephone (41%)," the BBC reported about the free, 24-hour counseling service for Britons up to age 19. A disturbing finding: "a significant increase in racist bullying.… A common theme was children being called a 'terrorist' or … [Read more...] about UK children’s ChildLine: Read the coverage carefully
Crimes Against Children Research Center
Challenging ‘Internet safety’ as a subject to be taught
"Way back" in 2008 – at least a decade after "online safety" was starting to be seen as a subject that needed to be taught to children – I suggested that it was becoming obsolete. Now what I'm seeing is that it never really was a single stand-alone subject that could become obsolete. We'll look back on it as a risk-prevention placeholder that society created until our research-based understanding … [Read more...] about Challenging ‘Internet safety’ as a subject to be taught
Another high-profile sexting study: Takeaways for parents
Let's just cut right to the takeaway for parents, then some background. The takeaway, which is right in the headline of TheAtlantic.com's intelligent coverage of new data on sexting published in the journal Pediatrics: We need to talk with our kids about sexting, but I would add: that might be in the context of their developing sexuality, of the family's values, of appropriate use of digital … [Read more...] about Another high-profile sexting study: Takeaways for parents
What’s wrong with Net-safety ed … and what we can do about it
A look at what does and doesn't work in risk prevention from top researchers in the US By Anne Collier It being "National Internet Safety Month" and this being the last week of the month, let's look at Net safety from a different angle…. "Grumpy researcher has doubts about Internet safety programs." David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the … [Read more...] about What’s wrong with Net-safety ed … and what we can do about it
Declines in 2 online risks for youth: Study
Good news for online kids on two fronts this week. We're seeing a continuing decline in online sexual solicitations of young people. The widely misrepresented 2000 figure from the Crimes Against Children Research Center was "1 in 5" (more in a minute on the misrepresentation); the 2005 one was "1 in 7" (13%), and the CCRC has just announced that it's now 9% in 2010, which was when the CCRC … [Read more...] about Declines in 2 online risks for youth: Study