Dads are Taking More Action Than Moms When it Comes to Children's Online Safety
Fathers help manage their children's online behaviour - they have conversations about respecting the privacy of others and how to promote a positive online reputation.
| Category |
Parenting and Childcare: Fathers |
| Details |
To honor National Internet Safety Month, Yahoo! Inc. is sharing data discovered from a recent survey exploring how parents monitor children’s online behavior and how people manage their digital reputations.
Parents are taking action, but cyber-bullying education is needed:
The Yahoo! survey shows:
- 78% of parents are concerned about their children’s online safety.
- 70% of parents talk to their children about online safety at least 2-3 times a year; 45% talk to their children at least once a month.
- 74% of parents are connected to their children’s profiles on social networking sites.
- 71% of parents have taken at least one action to manage their children’s use of the Internet or cell phones such as:
- Check to see where children are searching online.
- Set time limits for children’s use of computers or cell phones.
- Set parental controls on video sites.
- Use filters to limit where children go on the Web.
Cyberbullying continues to be a concern for parents. While parents are acutely aware of the potential issues, they are unsure of appropriate action. Data shows:
- 81% of parents know what cyberbullying is.
- 1 in 4 adults (25%) who are aware of cyberbullying have either been victims or know someone else affected by cyberbullying.
- 37% of parents feel that they know what to do about cyberbullying.
- Almost three-quarters (73%) of people want their child’s school to play an active role in teaching kids about online safety and citizenship.
Dads are doing their part, and then some:
Today’s fathers spend more time with their children than three decades ago and take on more household responsibilities, according to the Families and Work Institute. The Yahoo! survey found that some of that quality time is devoted to helping children navigate the Web and other technology.
- 71% of dads (compared to 63% of moms) say they are taking at least one action to help manage their children’s online behavior including having conversations about respecting the privacy of others and checking their children’s privacy settings.
- More dads than moms have had a conversation with their children about their digital reputations and how to promote a positive online reputation.
- Fathers more often check to see what personal information can be easily found about their children by searching for their names online.
- 53% of dads surveyed told us they plug their children’s names into a search engine at least 2–3 times per year (compared to 38% of moms) – 33% of dads told us they do this search at least once a month.
- Dads spend slightly more time talking to their children about online safety. 47% of dads have the conversation at least once a month or more; 42% of moms have the conversation at least once a month or more.
- According to the survey, more dads than moms use filters to limit where their kids go online, and more dads monitor the time children send text messages and how many text messages they send.
Yahoo! conducted the online survey with Ipsos OTX in April 2010 to gain insight into consumers’ behaviors and perceptions with respect to online safety. The survey is based on a sample size of 2,003 Internet users in the United States, ages 18–64 years old.
Yahoo! Safely (safely.yahoo.com) helps inform parents, students, and teachers about online safety through timely videos, simple strategies, and advice from nonprofit safety experts. |
| Author |
Yahoo! - Press Release |
| Publication Date |
June 10, 2010 |
| Source |
yhoo.client.shareholder.com |
| Format |
HTML |
| Availability |
View complete press release: Yahoo! Gives Parents a B+ for Taking Action to Protect Children Online |
| Related Links |
Visit safely.yahoo.com for advice on online safety and privacy. |
