We’re aware of most of the dangers associated with the Internet. Like my student “Dylan,” we know that teens can stumble onto porn sites; they might also be solicited by a sexual predator. They could even be a target for the ever-increasing trend known as cyber-bullying, which made news again last week because of its potential connection to this teen’s suicide in the UK.
But, they could just be watching hour after hour of goofy streaming videos. (Nielsen says the average for 12-17 year olds is about 132 minutes per month, making them the biggest group of viewers.) Or perhaps they’re spending untold hours simply “hanging” with friends in virtual worlds or social networks. Who knows?
Not you if you don’t ask.
Fortunately for us, the Norton Report mentioned above has invested some time into studying teenagers’ Internet habits. Of the students polled in the US:
- 35% say they “make friends” online. (That percentage increases the older they get.)
- 76% visit social-networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, and Bebo).
- 35% of students claimed to be shopping while connected.
- 42% of them admitted receiving an online request for personal information.
More research just came out of GenDigital’s recent study of teens’ online lives.
- A whopping 93% of teens use the Internet.
- 55% of that group has a profile on Facebook and/or MySpace.
- AddictingGames.com is quickly becoming the leading “casual gaming site” for all youth.
- Only 16% of teens use email, compared to the prolific use of it by adults.
Stay tuned for tomorrow as we tackle the last part of this.
