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Internet safety fears could keep excluded parents offline 

13 February 2008

Fears about online safety are causing poorer parents anxiety, and could keep digitally excluded families offline.  

The warning comes from UK online centres, whose new research surveyed the internet attitudes of mums and dads from lower socio-economic groups.  The survey found that while three quarters of parents knew their kids were regular internet users, half of them didn’t think their internet or IT skills were good enough to supervise or assist with surfing.

Around 60% of parents taking part in the survey said they worried about their children using the internet.  Topping the list of concerns were internet predators, inappropriate images and fraudsters, but other worries included cyber-bullying and the information children were sharing through social networking sites like Bebo and MySpace.  

And it’s not just internet safety that’s causing concern.  Around a third of parents also admitted to worrying about their lack of online know-how to help with homework and school projects on the internet.  

Helen Milner, Managing Director of UK online centres said:  “Technology has already changed how we live, work and socialise.  Now it’s changing how we bring up our children.  Being a 21st Century parent increasingly requires new parenting skills - it’s not just about looking after your children in the real world – you’ve got to look after them in the online world too.  With more and more school services and homework activities involving the internet, cyber-bullying and internet predators hitting the headlines, it’s not surprising that parents are anxious about their children being online.

“The real issue is that families already at a disadvantage are three times more likely to be offline, and that means poorer parents are also more likely to be the ones worrying about their kids on the internet, and about their own ability to help and supervise them.”

The digital divide between online and offline families and the effect of new technologies on children’s lives have become of increasing concern to Government, who over recent months have initiated the Byron Review into children’s gaming and internet use, and a Home Access Taskforce to provide poorer families with a computer and internet connection.  There is clear political appetite for tackling these issues, but Milner is concerned the focus remains too much on children and schools, and not enough on parents themselves.  

She adds:  “What we want is digital equity and opportunity for children AND parents.  This survey clearly shows technology alone is not in itself a solution.  Putting an offline family online cannot allay parents’ very real fears about the internet or empower them to help their children – and themselves - make the most it.  In fact if we don’t include parents we risk excluding them further - not just from technology but from their child’s social life, education and even welfare.”

Tanya Byron, who is heading up the Byron Review, adds:  “This survey is helpful in understanding the anxieties many parents face when wanting to protect their children in a world where the internet is becoming more important. My Review has found that although children are quite savvy about the technology, they still want to be able to go to their parents with online issues in the same way as they would for off-line issues.  We need to support all parents to play this role and these findings will be an important contribution to my final report in March.”

Milner concludes:  “What’s reassuring about this safety survey is that nearly all of the parents we talked to – 96% - recognised the internet as beneficial in helping their children understand technology and contributing to educational achievements.  Offline parents do have an appetite for online parenting, they just need the access to technology and more importantly the skills to use it effectively.  Unless we achieve a combination of the two, internet safety fears could keep on holding back the very families we want to stop from falling further behind.”

The need for digital inclusion policy to reach the 33-39% of adults still offline will be discussed at the third national Digital Inclusion Conference at the end of April.  For more information about the Conference – Reaching the final third – visit www.civicconferences.co.uk .  

Ends

For more information about this press release, please contact Abi Stevens on 0778 666 0689 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Notes to editors