My Greatest Internet Fear

Dear Friend and Family Safety Online Expert,

I still remember as if it was today the first time I used the internet, I was around 12 years old and internet was quite slow then, searches were not great and pages would take ages to load. No matter how slow it was, I was fascinated by what the internet could offer, from researching for school projects to chatting to friends, I loved it all.

Now that I’m older and wiser, I still think that internet and technology are very useful and handy, but it scares me how vulnerable children can be online. As you are a wise friend and an expert on family safety online, I would love your help please.

My little boy likes playing games on the tablet, they are several educational games and apps around to help with numeracy and literacy skills, which is great as he can play and learn at the same time. As a parent, I’m always by his side watching what he is doing, just in case he goes on a website he is not meant to.

But what will happen when he grows up and I can no longer watch his every move? What if someone starts chatting to him online and he is a victim of cyber bullying? My greatest internet fear is cyber bullying and its impact on kids. I try and protect little man as much as I can now, but I’m scared what could happen when he is a teenager.

Nowadays children have so much access to the internet through iPods and tablets, it can help with their homework and school projects, but could also damage them psychologically and hurt them forever. I appreciate your help on this delicate and important subject which is family safety online.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Worried Mum x

This post is my entry into the Check and Secure challenge. For more advice on family safety online, see Mums on Security.