Internet and TV - helpful of harmful?

A debate has been raging about the use of television - in more recent times this has been extended to consider the impact of the use of computers.

Are they good or bad? Are they a helpful tool, are they an unhelpful distraction or are they harmful?

As adults we should be aware of the time spent on them. Do we just blob in front of the TV or do we carefully select the programs we watch and turn the TV off at other times?

If we have children, how do we monitor their use of TV and computers? What 'rules' have we established?

TV brought the 'world' into our living rooms - things we may never have watched or seen are now just 'there'!
The advent of the computer heightened those problems. Whilst computers are a necessity in the work environment and a helpful source of information, do we spend too much time on them? Are we using it for the wrong things? There is a lot there that is good but a lot that is very harmful - pornography, online gambling etc.

The increasing use of chat sites, Facebook and even Twitter has seen many people relying on the computer and internet for social interaction. When children and teens do this it can have serious adverse consequences. Young children often communicate with friends via the internet rather than go and kick a football with them! 

ACMA has just launched a new Cybersmart website to help with online safety.
More details and a link below!

Two items in the past week highlight the problems...

A research study by ACMA found that one in ten preschoolers have a TV in their bedroom and one in ten 7-8 year olds have a computer in their bedroom!

Now VICTORIA'S chief child psychiatrist Dr Sandra Radovini has urged parents to remove computers from children's bedrooms, following the suicides of four Geelong teenagers, one of which had links to cyber bullying.
See the article in The Age - How parents can help keep their children safe, The Age, July 26, 2009.   

 

Children and TV and the internet

A research study by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found that one in ten pre-school children have a TV in their bedrooms!The study also found that:
* One in ten children aged 7 to 8 have a computer in their bedrooms.
* 30% of teens have a TV in their bedroom and 20% had a computer.
* Only 25% of parents of teens aged 16-17 placed limits or restrictions on use or content!

ACMA has just launched a Cybersmart website to provide help and education regarding online safety. It includes a section for parents.
Check out the Cybersmart website.
It also allows you to report offensive and illegal content.

The ACMA Research Study: Young Australians' use of online social media.

Media Report:  Our Teletubby bubbies
Herald Sun, July 18, 2009
"ONE in eight toddlers have a TV in their bedroom and one in 10 seven to eight-year-olds have a computer in their room. An alarming survey shows three to four-year-olds exposed to digital gadgets will spend more time using them as teenagers.

Cyberbullying

The suicide death of a teenager after she was bullied over the internet has led to serious questions about the use of the internet for social interaction and particularly about the amount of 'bullying' that occurs.
Chat sites are also dangerous places where predators roam looking for vulnerable children.
Read this report from the ABC....

Teen's death highlights cyber bullying trend
ABC, 7.30 Report - 22 July 2009.

What can we do?

For a start, we'd suggest...
* NO TVs or computers in bedrooms. Certainly we'd suggest no internet in bedrooms!
* Locate computers in open areas that are accessible to everyone.
* Place limits on the amount of TV and computer use as well as the content and monitor computer use.
* Discuss the dangers of the internet and TV with your children and explain guidelines and rules for their use. 
* Don't allow children to interact with others (even those known to them) over the internet.
* Take an active interest in what your children are doing - that applies to all areas of life, but includes what they are doing on the internet and what they are watching on TV.
* Check out the Cybersmart website.