Children feel they use web ‘too much’

MORE Irish children consider they spend too much time on the internet than their European counterparts.

A new survey finds that 43% of Irish children report using the internet excessively compared to the EU average of 30%.

The EU Kids Online study also finds that over half of Irish children between the ages of nine and 16 are using the internet for more than one hour each day.

Excessive use of the internet is particularly prevalent among 11 to 12 year-olds.

Over 45% of those surveyed say they have spent less time than they should with friends, family or doing schoolwork because of time online. This is compared to the average 35% on a European level.

The publication of the survey, entitled EU Kids Online: The Ireland Report: Risks and Safety for Children on the Internet, was made to mark the annual Safer Internet Day, which is part of a global drive to promote a safer internet for all users, especially young people.

The survey also found that a growing number of children in Ireland (37%) are allowed use the internet in a private space away from supervision. However, far more (56%) only access it in a public room at home. This is a reverse of the European finding where more children had private internet access (49%) compared to public rooms (only 38%).

“It’s up to parents themselves,” says Catherine Bolger, psychologist with Dublin Institute of Technology. “They have a responsibility to strictly supervise their children’s and young teens’ access to any internet sites — not just social networking sites. It sounds obvious but parents need to know what their children are doing.”

One quarter of Irish children have seen websites containing some form of potentially harmful user-generated content. These include sites promoting drug-taking, suicide, ways to be thin, racism or hatred. Girls see more sites promoting ways to be thin, hate messages and drug-taking, while a slightly higher number of boys have seen sites encouraging suicide.

Áine Lynch, head of the National Parents Council Primary, advises parents to have “that chat” with their children about what they do online. “Talking regularly to your children about what they do online is the single biggest thing you can do to help them stay safe online,” she said in response to the publication of the survey.

“Talking to children is really important. Some kids are afraid that if they go to a parent to describe in appropriate material they have come across, the response will to shut it down. We need to help children to help themselves. It is not about eliminating risk; it is about how you deal with it.”

The EU-wide initiative is organised in Ireland by the National Centre for Technology in Education and is being promoted through the website Webwise.ie.

Simon Grehan, internet safety co-ordinator in the National Centre of Technology in Education, said: “Children today are the first generation to grow up with the possibility of instant communication and information on demand.

“Use of the internet and mobile phones has been completely normalised by them, and they are well informed about levels of risk and how to cope with these risks. However, children are going online younger than ever before, schools and parents need to engage with them when they start to go online to encourage an attitude of responsible internet practice.”

* For more information go online to www.webwise.ie