Tuesday, February 6th is Safer Internet Day. The Theme for Safer Internet Day 2018 is “Create, connect and share respect: A better internet starts with you”.
Zeeko, an Irish company based at Nova UCD which supports parents in teaching their children to stay safe online, did a recent survey on online use. Zeeko surveyed 3,590 boys and 4,173 girls in Irish Primary Schools from September 2017 to January 2018. There are some interesting findings, particularly the fact that “a large proportion of children are speaking with strangers online with a device other than a smart phone”.
This is what Zeeko found:
- MORE BOYS THAN GIRLSspeak with strangers online, 27% of boys vs 11% of girls.
- THE ISSUE IS BIGGER THAN SMART PHONES: A large proportion of children are speaking with strangers online with a device other than a smart phone. 43% do not use a Smart Phone to speak with a stranger online. Smart phones, iPods and Tablets have the same capability and the same risk.
- DEIS AND NON-DEIS ARE THE SAME: The number of children in DEIS schools (children and young people who are at risk of or who are experiencing educational disadvantage) and Non DEIS schools speaking with strangers online line is essentially the same, DEIS 32% of boys and 11% of girls vs Non DEIS 26% of boys and 11% of girls.
- MINORITY OF CHILDREN DO NOT SEE THE RISK: 27%of Primary school children think it is ‘not serious at all’ or ‘kind of serious’ to talk to a stranger online.
- MORE OLDER THAN YOUNGER CHILDREN speak with strangers online, 27% of 6th class vs 12% of 2nd
- VERY SMALL USAGE OF KIK: 2 out of 7,763 Primary school children reported using KIK.
Further information and links to resources are available on principal’s blog.
Computers are just one of many learning resources and in school children are taught safe internet use from an early age.
