(Is it possible to keep children safe from potential internet dangers?) by: Eko Setiyo Utomo
The Internet has become a part of modern life style for most people. In developed countries, most people use the internet at home. Children can access the internet for everything, from playing games, to doing schoolwork, to chatting with friends via e-mail, to surfing the web. Most online services provide children with a vast range of resources such as encyclopedias, current events coverage, and access to libraries and other valuable material. However, there can be real risks and dangers for an unsupervised child because most materials on the Internet are not only uncensored but also unedited. Adults can be expected to make their own evaluations of what they find. Children, who lack experience and knowledge, can not do this. Strohm (n.d.) claims that the essential issue in the internet is internet pornography, which is a topic debated by many experts, but many other issues dangerous to children are of concern too. Children who have access to the internet can easily be lured into something dangerous. As stated by Manista (2002), “censorship on the internet has become an issue for a number of very specific reasons”. Parents should not assume that their children are safe online from internet dangers; and they should not just rely on soft ware to protect their children. According to Schwartz (2004), using filters to block access to undesirable materials may never prove to be the solution. In addition, governments should have the power to decide what is not acceptable for the minds of children. In contrast, it is argued by some people that supervising access to the internet could limit the creativity of children. in addition, according to Males (2000), statistical evidence does not support to filter the internet. He describes that several kinds of sex offences has declined since period internet (1990s) access in America.
This essay will
References: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (1997) Children online [online]. Available: http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/online.htm [Accessed 10 May 2005]. Australian Government NetAlert Limited (2005) Internet safety needs highlighted as cyber survey reveals kids inline younger and longer [online]. Available: http://www.netalert.net.au/02012 [Accessed 10 May 2005]. Censorship major worry for net users (1997) In Censorship. Issues in Society. 76. ed. Kaye Healey. Sydney: The Spinney Press. Cook, M. (2004) Safety net for children. The Age. 24 July:5. Healey, D. (2003) Enhancing subject-area expertise via the Internet [online]. Available: http://www.onid.orst.edu/~healeyd/upc/advdisadv.html [Accessed 29 May 2005] Hirst, P Kahmen, V. (1972) Eroticism in contemporary art. London: Studio Vista Publishers. Males, M. (2000) Mythology and internet filtering. Teacher Librarian [online] 28 December: 16-18. Available : ProQuest. Manista, F. (2002) Censoring methods for the Internet [online]. Available: http://www.msu.edu/~brodies1/atl/review2.html [Accessed 29May 2005] Nuss, M Reeks, A. (2005) Internet safety. Parenting [online] March: 146. Available: ProQuest. Reisman, J. and Ray, E. (1999) Porno, part of a well-rounded education [online]. Available: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE [Accessed 29 May 2005] Schrader, A Schwartz, J. (2004) Internet filters are : [good] [bad] [both]. The New York Times [online] 4 July: 4-5. Available : ProQuest. Singhal, M. (1997) The internet and foreign language education: benefits and challenges [online]. Available: http://www.gse.uci.edu/ed168/resume.html [Accessed 29 May 2005]. Spalding, B., Gilding, J. and Patrick, K (1996) Management of student access to controversial material on the internet. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. Strohm, C (n.d) Should we regulate children use of the internet? [online]. Available: http://courses.wcupa.edu/fletcher/english121/projects/10b/ courtpaper.htm [Accessed 10 May 2005) Wallace, J Yee, D. (2002) Internet censorship. In The Internet uses and abuses. Issues in Society. 161. ed. Justin Healey. Sydney: The Spinney Press.