Children’s engagement with the internet and social media

The Children’s Commissioner for England has published a report looking into how well children are prepared to engage with the internet. Findings include: opaque and lengthy social media terms and conditions mean children unknowingly waive privacy rights; a Mumsnet survey of nearly 900 parents of children aged 2-18 showed that 73% were concerned about their children accessing inappropriate material online, 49% were worried about their child oversharing personal information, and 41% felt they needed more advice to make informed decisions about their children’s online use. Recommendations include: a champion for children’s rights online is needed to enforce their rights with social media companies; an obligatory digital citizenship programme for 4 to 14 year-olds should be set up.

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Source: Children’s Commissioner for England  Date: 04 January 2017