It appears that getting agreement on what defines a person as a child is one of the largest
obstacles to achieving effective child protection. But however we define the term, we certainly
know that children and young people routinely use the Internet, as it has become an essential part
of modern life. Children’s ability to access the Internet has grown rapidly, and most young people
frequently access the Internet.
Children get involved in a wide variety of activities on the Internet, and many overlap each other,
as Web 2.0 platforms increasingly are becoming a part of today’s youth culture. A 25 country
survey conducted by European Union Kids Online and funded by the European Commission’s
Safer Internet Programme suggests that top activities for children and youth using the Internet
are: schoolwork (92%), playing games (83%), watching video clips (75%) and social networking
(71%). 59% of European children who use the Internet have their own social network profile. Only
28% of 9-10 year olds, but 59% of 11-12 year olds, have a social network profile, suggesting that
it is the start of secondary school rather than the minimum age set by popular providers, that is a
major trigger for social networking.1
To this end, identifying and establishing norms that can inform
online interactions should become an integral part of a child’s education and must begin in the
primary grades.