Yahoo! Study: Parents Get B+ for Protecting Kids Online
Yahoo! released data from a study today that graded parental involvement in keeping kids safe online, scoring a B+.
The study, which surveyed over 2,000 adults from the ages of 18-64, looked to gain insight into consumer behaviors and perceptions with respect to online safety.
Some of the results concluded that:
1. Parents are taking action, but cyber -bullying education is needed:
- 78% of parents are concerned about their children’s online safety.
- 70% of parents talk to their children about online safety at least 2-3 times a year; 45% talk to their children at least once a month.
- 74% of parents are connected to their children’s profiles on social networking sites.
- 71% of parents have taken at least one action to manage their children’s use of the Internet or cell phones such as: Check to see where children are searching online; Set time limits for children’s use of computers or cell phones; Set parental controls on video sites; and, use filters to limit where children go on the Web.
- 81% of parents know what cyber-bullying is.
- 1 in 4 adults (25%) who are aware of cyber-bullying have either been victims or know someone else affected by cyber-bullying.
- 37% of parents feel that they know what to do about cyber-bullying.
- Almost three-quarters (73%) of people want their child’s school to play an active role in teaching kids about online safety and citizenship.
3. Other results show that dads are stepping up to the plate and doing their part, and then some.
Today’s fathers spend more time with their children than three decades ago and take on more household responsibilities, according to the Families and Work Institute. The Yahoo! survey found that some of that quality time is devoted to helping children navigate the Web and other technology.
- 71% of dads (compared to 63% of moms) say they are taking at least one action to help manage their children’s online behavior including having conversations about respecting the privacy of others and checking their children’s privacy settings.
- More dads than moms have had a conversation with their children about their digital reputations and how to promote a positive online reputation.
- Fathers more often check to see what personal information can be easily found about their children by searching for their names online.
- 53% of dads surveyed told us they plug their children’s names into a search engine at least 2–3 times per year (compared to 38% of moms) – 33% of dads told us they do this search at least once a month.
- Dads spend slightly more time talking to their children about online safety. 47% of dads have the conversation at least once a month or more; 42% of moms have the conversation at least once a month or more.
- According to the survey, more dads than moms use filters to limit where their kids go online, and more dads monitor the time children send text messages and how many text messages they send.
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