Science and Technology
Objectives
Definite and indefinite articles; ** ing clausesReading
For children, internet access is a double-edged sword. In other words, being able
to get online can be both good and bad for kids. On the good side, digital
technology can connect a child to information and to a larger community with
great convenience. It can bring future opportunities for work and career. But
on the bad side, it can also bring great harm and stress – especially for a
child who does not know how to use the internet thoughtfully.
The Digital divide
Being online has many
benefits. In fact, access to the internet can change a child’s life, says
Laurence Chandy. He is the Director of Data Research and Policy for UNICEF. But
the UNICEF report estimates that around one-third of the world's youth—most in
developing countries—are not online. For example, in Africa, only 40 percent of
children are online. In Europe, by contrast, 88 percent are.
These offline children, the
report notes, are missing out on the benefits offered by internet access. We
call the gap between those who can easily get online and those who can't the
"digital divide.” Experts at UNICEF say the digital divide is not fair and
needs to change. They stress that children everywhere must have access to the
tools that will help them to participate and compete in an ever-growing digital
economy.
The dangers of the digital world
UNICEF reports that one in
three internet users around the world is a child. Even though so many children
are online, the organization says little is known about the impact of digital technology on child's well-being. More importantly, the
report finds that little is being done to protect children from the dangers of
the digital world. For example, many children around the world have a digital
footprint before they can actually walk and make real footprints. Parents
often post photos of their children and share stories about them. And a child’s
medical records may be stored in the cloud. As children grow, they
may share additional details about themselves or photos and videos of
themselves—nothing is kept confidential.
But making all this personal
information public may put a child at risk. Lawrence Chandy explains that these
risks include the misuse of children's private information, access to harmful
content, and cyberbullying. Besides cyberbullying, Lawrence Chandy
says children are also at risk from online criminal networks. These criminals
target children for some of the worst forms of exploitation and abuse, such as human trafficking and online child sexual
abuse. He says safeguarding children's privacy on the internet is an issue of
major concern. UNICEF, therefore, is asking governments, schools, businesses in
digital technology and telecom industries to make these two things priorities:
giving more children access to the internet; and then protecting them when they
are online.
Safety First
If your child is online, the
website Parenting.com gives the following safety advice.
Know the online sites your child uses. You know the physical places where your child hangs out and who
they are hanging out with. So, you should also know where they are online and
with whom.
Set house rules. Decide how
much time your child spends online and how they use the internet.
Teach them to protect their own privacy. Tell them:
- never to give their name, phone number, e-mail address, password,
postal address, school, or picture without your permission;
- not to open e-mails from people they don't know;
- not to respond to hurtful or disturbing messages;
- not to get together with anyone they "meet" online.
Keep the computer in a central spot in your home. It is easy to watch your child’s use of the computer if the
device in a commonly-used area, like the kitchen.
Use software and other technologies to your advantage. Use safe-surfing options such as filters and privacy settings on
your child’s browsers. But know that a child who knows computers may be able to
change these settings. Parents, caregivers, teachers and school administrators,
businesses and policymakers working together can ensure safe access and protect
children from the possible harm of an every-growing digital world.
Taken and adapted from (8 July
2019):
