Children and the Internet

According to UNICEF’s report on the number of children using the Internet, it is revealed that 59% of East Asian Pacific school-aged kids have access to the Internet. However, this isn’t a shocking number. It isn’t difficult to understand why children choose to spend time on the Internet since their childhood revolves around the constant growth of technology and social media. Though the Internet is a double-sided sword, and that’s something kids can’t get a grasp on. Children being active on the Internet isn't a completely bad thing. Today, we commonly see kids browsing on the Internet for academic-related content. The Internet provides them with the information they can’t normally find in textbooks-for once the Internet can be educational. Not all websites and youtube channels on the Internet are harmful. There are plenty of educational websites for parents to choose from, such as Scholastic, National Geographic Kids, Khan Academy, Disney Junior, etc. With these websites, children can access almost every information they need to satisfy their curiosity about the world surrounding them. The COVID-19 outbreak has radically changed how students and educators work and study, all physical classroom activities have to be canceled and switched to distance learning. Children can no longer go to libraries, labs for schoolwork and it’s hard for teachers to help the students. Fortunately, with the Internet, we can have access to all of these facilities with just a few clicks. Virtual labs, online libraries, and virtual classrooms had allowed educators to recreate the same fun of going to class right in the comfort of their homes. Students can also connect and communicate with teachers or their classmates when they have trouble learning through the Internet. Despite the positives that the Internet has, one must have some negatives. Children are being drawn into the wondrous world of the Internet, exploring without knowing what might come for them. Soon, it became an addiction, which can turn into “Internet Addiction Disorder”. Based on The Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning’s 2015 recorded data, 13. 2% of Korean middle school kids are vulnerable to Internet addiction. Imagine how that number has grown since then. Aside from this, Internet addiction was attributed to problematic computer use and neurobiological vulnerability. From there, we know that the addiction came from various reasons, not just the Internet. The Internet is both a fascinating and dangerous world. It piques kids’ curiosity and lures them into impending danger. The keywords here are curiosity and vulnerability. Because of many youngsters’ curiosity, they have risked themselves to online threats. Online child predators can manipulate a child, take advantage of a child’s vulnerability to satisfy their unethical wanting. Moreover, content put out on the Internet can be damaging to young minds. Without parents’ supervision, children may encounter inappropriate content, specifically sexually explicit and triggering content, for instance, self-harm posts and hate speeches. Any child with mental illnesses can get PTSD triggers, anxiety, or similar psychological reactions to such frightful content. Hate speeches on communities like the Black community, Asian American and Pacific Islanders community make kids belonging to these communities look down on themselves, afraid of being who they are and afraid of standing up for themselves. To conclude, children spending time on the Internet both has its pros and cons. Even though the Internet wasn’t made a dangerous place, children should be aware of what might happen to them online. Use it smartly and cautiously, children having digital skills and online resilience is the key.