The Web is now 20 years old. And, being in the Internet industry for the last 19 of those 20 years, I've seen a number of incredible advances in both technology and usage. As a professional who focuses on child safety, I realize that a number of those advances have had a significant impact on our approach to Internet safety.
Here are a few of the most recent, and profound:
- The Internet is now portable. The computer is no longer in a central place in the house.
- The Web has fundamentally shifted from a platform of information consumption where a very few controlled the content to a platform of content production in which everyone can contribute.
- Social media has tapped into our desire to share our lives. And, devices with built-in cameras and video recorders have given us the ability to do so at any point in time.
Long gone are the days of walled gardens where content and communication could be easily controlled and "bad guys" simply kicked out. The effectiveness of traditional parental controls based on permit/deny lists has diminished in the face of the social media frenzy. And, safety tips suggesting not talking to strangers or sharing personal information have been cast aside as the web is all about friending and sharing.
The Web has aged and with that, protecting kids online has grown more complex. There is no single tool that we can point to or simple guidance we can bestow. Instead, keeping kids safe online is a combination of factors – rules, tools, education and communication. It really takes a collaborative effort between parent and child.
Parents must now manage their children's online activities across multiple platforms – gaming consoles and devices, cellphones, tablets and more - using the parental control technologies built-in to each. Parents must set rules and continuously educate themselves and their children to both the risks and protections of the sites and services their children use. Lastly, parents must keep talking to their children about what they are doing on the Web, what they like about it and what they don't. This is a great way to identify and address potential problems before they escalate.
There is no silver bullet. As technology evolves, we must remain diligent in protecting our children. Twenty years from now, I can only imagine looking back and remembering the easy days of social media and devices.
