Parents, Teens, and Online Privacy

Madden, M., Cortesi, S., Gasser, U., Lenhart, A., & Duggan, M. (2012). Parents, Teens, and Online Privacy. Pew Internet & American Life Project, 1, 1-29. Retrieved December 4, 2013, from http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Teens-and-Privacy.aspx

 

                How do parent protect their children with online privacy?  How is it monitored?

There is a huge concern that too much information is available online about children and teens.  There is little legislation that establishes regulations.  It is simply hard to keep up.  In response the this problem,  a phone survey was conducted of 802 parents and 802 teens.

Some of the concerns for the parents of teenagers include: how much information advertisers are learning about the teens online, how much the teenagers interact with strangers online, how the online activity might affect the future academic and employment opportunities and how the reputation is maintained.  The parents of 59% of those surveyed had a conversation with their child about privacy.   Some parents even help set up privacy settings (39%).  Parents also used parental controls, internet searches.

My response

Unfortunately, the governments cannot keep up with maintaining up to date regulations when dealing with the media and internet use.  The regulations tend to come a little too late.  Teens are often naïve on the amount of information released in the social networks sites, even if there are privacy settings.  I hate the way some tragic needs to happen before major changes are made.  I would be concerned as well if I had a teen age daughter.  Fortunately, I have a couple more years to go.  I was also surprised about the responses by those surveyed did not have higher percentages in each of the question categories.   If parents are so concerned, then why do they not act upon it?

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