by Gillian Taber

Created on: March 10, 2011   Last Updated: March 12, 2011

The Internet has opened up a world of opportunities, but is there a negative side to all this information and easy contact? Can the internet be a bad influence, on adults as well as children? It's hard to imagine the world without internet now. It's an integral part of life for most people. That very familiarity can often be the source of trouble. When something becomes a habit, almost invisible because it is so familiar, people lose perspective and problems begin to occur. In what ways does the internet become a bad influence, a force of negativity, for anyone who uses it?

The first port of call should be the children. From toddlers to teens, the internet is a part of their lives. The younger the child, the easier it is for parents to monitor what they are doing when they access the internet. In reality, a child under eleven shouldn't be accessing the internet without parental supervision. They simply don't have the tools to deal with situations which might arise and lead them into danger.

The most common cause for concern is internet paedophilia. Grooming children has become all too common and it is the parents who must talk to their children about such dangers. It is nigh-on impossible for the internet to be effectively policed, and the chances of a paedophile being caught before he does damage to a child are close to zero. Children have to be aware of what is and isn't appropriate behaviour and what situations should always be avoided. It's no use relying on school to teach these lessons, the first responsibility falls on the parents who should know the dangers and be able to explain them to their children.

However, it isn't just adults who are a danger here. Peers can be just as bad and influence. The current fad for 'sexting' – sending sexual imagery or comments to another person – occurs most often amongst teens, some as young as thirteen. There is no doubt a great deal of pressure on these children, for they are no more than that, to be 'cool', to be 'in' and the risk of bullying for a child who refuses to entertain these ideas is increasingly common. The biggest danger here is in the ending of a relationship and those explicit images being posted to the internet by the 'injured' party. The BBC have a short film ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12385159) about this and it is worth watching, by adults and children alike, to understand why this is something to be avoided at all costs.

Less of an immediate danger, but worthy of concern is the amount

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