Kids are more likely to be victimized
online through instant messaging and
in chat rooms than on social networking
sites, researchers say. The Growing Up
with Media survey asked nearly 1,600
Internet users ages 10 to 15 about their
online experiences in the past year,
Pediatrics says. Fifteen percent reported an
unwanted sexual solicitation in that time,
and 33 percent reported online harassment.
In each instance, about one in four
events took place on a social networking
site. Solicitation was more common via
instant messaging (43 percent of incidents)
or in chat rooms (32 percent of
incidents). Harassment was more common
in instant messaging (55 percent of incidents).
The bottom line: Focus on your
children's online behavior in general
rather than on restricting their use of
social networking sites.
Kids are more likely to be victimized
online through instant messaging and
in chat rooms than on social networking
sites, researchers say. The Growing Up
with Media survey asked nearly 1,600
Internet users ages 10 to 15 about their
online experiences in the past year,
Pediatrics says. Fifteen percent reported an
unwanted sexual solicitation in that time,
and 33 percent reported online harassment.
In each instance, about one in four
events took place on a social networking
site. Solicitation was more common via
instant messaging (43 percent of incidents)
or in chat rooms (32 percent of
incidents). Harassment was more common
in instant messaging (55 percent of incidents).
The bottom line: Focus on your
children's online behavior in general
rather than on restricting their use of
social networking sites.
