Parents' views towards the use of Internet by children

Abstract

The Internet is challenging television like no other medium has ever done before. Fifty years ago, researchers questioned the effects of television on children. Today the situation is very similar, however, greater concern has been directed towards another medium, that is, the Internet. This study investigates parents' attitudes towards use of Internet by their children. Data was collected by surveying a stratified random sample of 360 parents of children between the ages of 9-10 and 11-12 years. Results show that the majority of parents allow or would allow their child to use Internet. Furthermore, most of the people surveyed think that the Internet has a lot to offer to children, however, some parents are not knowledgeable enough about this medium, what it can offer to those who use it, and/or how to safeguard their children from risks.