Internet Online Summit: Focus on Children

This conference was held in Washington, D.C., on Dec 1-3, 1997

5. Quality Content & Uses

This paper has to some extent focused on the dark side of the Internet. In order to bring families online, however, they must be able to fully appreciate and access the tremendous benefits of the Internet. The bright side of the Internet is a wonderful place with millions of interesting sites for families and children. Our children can improve their communication skills online and meet people from other countries and cultures. Families can share information, photos and stories with the world and other family members. They can learn to be creative and share their creativity. Our children can research school projects right from home and families can plan vacations online. The list goes on and on...

It's estimated that over 44 billion e-mail messages will be sent from home computers in 1997, for an average of 52 per week, per household. It's fast becoming an inexpensive and convenient alternative for using the telephone, and a faster alternative to snail mail (the computer term for regular postal service mail). Families are staying in touch with other family members via e-mail. In e-mail, schedules and time zones are irrelevant. You send it when you can, and the recipients reply when they can. The Internet is always open, around the world. It's also much more affordable than transnational and international phone calls, when parents are traveling on business or family members live abroad.

Parents can review their children's reports and term papers for school, making suggestions for improvements, and calling certain resources to their attention, all by e-mail. It may be a poor substitute for family dinners and working side by side in the family room, but given the demands on parents with their careers and community activities, and those on children with their own activities and responsibilities, it works.

And it works both ways. Children can share information with others by attaching articles and other information to their e-mail messages. Families who use e-mail regularly report that they share more with each other.

There are also resources online for parents and special families, with special needs. These sites range from adoption sites, sites for parents of disabled children, sites for siblings of disabled children, sites for seriously and terminally ill children, sites for deaf children, and for children in wheelchairs, sites for foster parents, step parents and single parents, for parents of twins and higher multiples and for grandparents raising their grandchildren. (note 8). Everyone can find a community online.

In order to reach its full potential, Internet content providers must develop quality online content to enrich and educate our children and families. Ways must be created to identify trusted good site guides, and to create child-focused "safe-Internet-zones," safe havens or closed systems. Branded sites and community-based ratings must be created, to help evaluate and recommend valuable and safe content. Parents and children need to develop online literacy skills, as well, in order to be able to locate and identify reliable information online. Given the unlimited potential of global communication and information sources online, the more families know about the benefits of the Internet the sooner they will become insistent about their desire to see more of this beneficial content made available. Good and valuable content development will become good business.

6. Conclusion

One of the clear points of consensus among children, parents, industry representatives, schools, libraries, and law enforcement officials is that the Internet can be an immensely valuable means of communication. It allows easy access to online resources and tools, fosters collaboration, and expands the opportunities open to all its users. The Internet is becoming increasingly important for the transfer of both commerce and knowledge in today's competitive world.

At the same time, children's access to all of the world's information, and all of the world's people, may not always be in their best interests. Certain shortfalls and dangers exist and must be identified and addressed.

Parents are the ultimate arbiters of their children's online experiences: where they go, with whom they chat, and what information they disclose. But parents should not be expected to bear all the responsibility of this job alone. In order for the Internet to be a safe, educational, and entertaining medium for children, responsibility must be shared by the public (which includes parents, educators and others), the technology industry, and the law enforcement community. Each must bear their share of responsibility and act with due diligence. With this community stewardship, the Internet will not only be a rewarding place for children but a safe one as well.

7. SIGNATORIES

The following signatories (received as of 5:00 PM, November 26, 1997) appreciate the efforts of the sub-committee of the Child Advocacy Working Group which prepared this document and encourage continuing dialogue on these important matters.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Boys and Girls Clubs of America
National Law Center for Children & Families
SafeSurf
NetShepherd
NetNanny

back to top | table of contents | home | email us