Marco De Loera
Monday, October 15, 2007
“Children Using Internet”
Who could it though twenty years ago that a little boy will be able to use a computer, more specifically internet? When I was growing up, the only people that had access to computers were those who were rich to afford it and to have it in the house. Having internet in the house was something almost unreachable, at least in my culture, evermore, children did not have access to it as easy as now.
Computers are a very functional device for human development, and the internet makes them to work in a way that you can find out things from all over the world immediately. In our contemporary society, everybody knows of this technological wonder, and many use it on daily bases. Nevertheless, this “magical connection” can help answer the question a lot of people are asking about whether or not internet can become a danger for minors. Lamentably, the answer is yes. “There is no doubt about the capacity of the internet to disturb – to disturb existing attitudes.”[1]
Coming from a culture different than United States, internet usage is not, yet, something indispensable in my country. On the other hand, computers, at least in this country, are almost as important as a family member. Because computers have their own room, a desk, and the like. Internet usage has become part of everyday ritual. “Do not leave before you say good by to it.” That is how strong our dependency is to internet and computers. Children surf all in them. Is it safe for children to use internet? How much time is appropriate for children to use internet? How helpful internet for the health of a child? How many windows on the internet a child open? And how many of those sites are safe for a minor to see?
Parents and institutions are concerned about how safe the internet is. On July, 2000 the United States Catholic Conference distributed, allover the county, pamphlets with information regardless about strategies that we can do, in order that our children can have a better usage of this technology. “Some of the highest traffic on the Web is to pornography sites, while others sites purvey hatred of particular groups.”[2] Hearing these testimonies we have to think twice before we install internet in our homes. Internet may seem harmless and attractive, but as the United States Catholic Conference says, “Internet use, then, can be little like visiting the best theme park in the world and coming across a toxic waste dump.”[3]
How much time is appropriate for children to spend on the net? Time has to be judge by parents and they also need to be aware of the best times of the day (day or night). The best time for a child to surf on line is when an adult is around, no doubt. During late hours of the day, minors tend misuse internet. They may chat too much with friends. That can lead them to inefficient school day, because long hours of internet usage can lead the minors to performance poorly at school. Social skills can be affected by a constant interaction with “cyber people.” Even worse, minors can get involved in activities that can put in danger their ethical/moral life. “Children are born into a forest of figures”[4] and can get lost into a cyber black hole.
Place for a computer. Computers have to be in an open space, such as, living rooms, hallways, or common areas, but never inside their rooms. “Isolated [minors] in front of a computer screen can lack the necessary moral and social support to resist what they are being drawn into, ‘because’ it takes only a few mouse-clicks for an inquisitive child to find a sea of sexual explicit or gratuitously violent and hate-filled material.”[5], [6]
For a safe usage of internet do not let minors to stay online late at night or without adult supervision. Not all the websites contain healthy information. Teens have to learn that information on internet is not always reliable. They are official sites which teens can be sure that the information contained is accurate and true. Some of these reliable sources are: “www. vatican.va and www.nccbuscc.org.”[7] It is useful that the minor consults with his/her teachers before use sources online, which will help them to become more critical. Finally, a healthy internet use can be foster by parents in many ways. Prayer before the usage of internet, parental attention, questions directed toward things that the children have look at on line. Some other practical things are also helpful to assure the best internet use, such as, “ISP ‘and’ install filtering software [for a better protection and safety of the minor usage].”[8] Our moral obligation is to teach our children ways to use internet more responsibly. Moreover “[a]ll users of the Internet are obliged to use it in an informed, disciplined way, for morally good purposes; parents should guide and supervise children's use. Schools and other educational institutions and programs for children and adults should provide training in discerning use of the Internet.”[9]
[1] Eric Borgman, Stephan van Erp, and Hille Haker. Cyberspace- Cyberethics-Cybertheology. (London, 2005) page 33.
[2] Msgr. Dennis M. Schnurr, United States Catholic Conference, Your Family and Cyberspace. (Washington, July 2000). Page 1.
[3] Msgr. Dennis M. Schnurr. Page 1.
[4] Pierre Babin and Angela Ann Zukowski, The Gospel in Cyberspace. (Chicago, 2002). Page 65
[5] Msgr. Dennis M. Schnurr. Page 3.
[6] Msgr. Dennis M. Schnurr. Page 4.
[7]Msgr. Dennis M. Schnurr. Page 5.
[8]Msgr. Dennis M. Schnurr. Page 7.
[9]John P. Foley. Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Ethics in Internet. http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/pccs/documents/rc_pc_pccs_doc_20020228_ethics-internet_en.html. October 14, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
“Children Using Internet”
Who could it though twenty years ago that a little boy will be able to use a computer, more specifically internet? When I was growing up, the only people that had access to computers were those who were rich to afford it and to have it in the house. Having internet in the house was something almost unreachable, at least in my culture, evermore, children did not have access to it as easy as now.
Computers are a very functional device for human development, and the internet makes them to work in a way that you can find out things from all over the world immediately. In our contemporary society, everybody knows of this technological wonder, and many use it on daily bases. Nevertheless, this “magical connection” can help answer the question a lot of people are asking about whether or not internet can become a danger for minors. Lamentably, the answer is yes. “There is no doubt about the capacity of the internet to disturb – to disturb existing attitudes.”[1]
Coming from a culture different than United States, internet usage is not, yet, something indispensable in my country. On the other hand, computers, at least in this country, are almost as important as a family member. Because computers have their own room, a desk, and the like. Internet usage has become part of everyday ritual. “Do not leave before you say good by to it.” That is how strong our dependency is to internet and computers. Children surf all in them. Is it safe for children to use internet? How much time is appropriate for children to use internet? How helpful internet for the health of a child? How many windows on the internet a child open? And how many of those sites are safe for a minor to see?
Parents and institutions are concerned about how safe the internet is. On July, 2000 the United States Catholic Conference distributed, allover the county, pamphlets with information regardless about strategies that we can do, in order that our children can have a better usage of this technology. “Some of the highest traffic on the Web is to pornography sites, while others sites purvey hatred of particular groups.”[2] Hearing these testimonies we have to think twice before we install internet in our homes. Internet may seem harmless and attractive, but as the United States Catholic Conference says, “Internet use, then, can be little like visiting the best theme park in the world and coming across a toxic waste dump.”[3]
How much time is appropriate for children to spend on the net? Time has to be judge by parents and they also need to be aware of the best times of the day (day or night). The best time for a child to surf on line is when an adult is around, no doubt. During late hours of the day, minors tend misuse internet. They may chat too much with friends. That can lead them to inefficient school day, because long hours of internet usage can lead the minors to performance poorly at school. Social skills can be affected by a constant interaction with “cyber people.” Even worse, minors can get involved in activities that can put in danger their ethical/moral life. “Children are born into a forest of figures”[4] and can get lost into a cyber black hole.
Place for a computer. Computers have to be in an open space, such as, living rooms, hallways, or common areas, but never inside their rooms. “Isolated [minors] in front of a computer screen can lack the necessary moral and social support to resist what they are being drawn into, ‘because’ it takes only a few mouse-clicks for an inquisitive child to find a sea of sexual explicit or gratuitously violent and hate-filled material.”[5], [6]
For a safe usage of internet do not let minors to stay online late at night or without adult supervision. Not all the websites contain healthy information. Teens have to learn that information on internet is not always reliable. They are official sites which teens can be sure that the information contained is accurate and true. Some of these reliable sources are: “www. vatican.va and www.nccbuscc.org.”[7] It is useful that the minor consults with his/her teachers before use sources online, which will help them to become more critical. Finally, a healthy internet use can be foster by parents in many ways. Prayer before the usage of internet, parental attention, questions directed toward things that the children have look at on line. Some other practical things are also helpful to assure the best internet use, such as, “ISP ‘and’ install filtering software [for a better protection and safety of the minor usage].”[8] Our moral obligation is to teach our children ways to use internet more responsibly. Moreover “[a]ll users of the Internet are obliged to use it in an informed, disciplined way, for morally good purposes; parents should guide and supervise children's use. Schools and other educational institutions and programs for children and adults should provide training in discerning use of the Internet.”[9]
[1] Eric Borgman, Stephan van Erp, and Hille Haker. Cyberspace- Cyberethics-Cybertheology. (London, 2005) page 33.
[2] Msgr. Dennis M. Schnurr, United States Catholic Conference, Your Family and Cyberspace. (Washington, July 2000). Page 1.
[3] Msgr. Dennis M. Schnurr. Page 1.
[4] Pierre Babin and Angela Ann Zukowski, The Gospel in Cyberspace. (Chicago, 2002). Page 65
[5] Msgr. Dennis M. Schnurr. Page 3.
[6] Msgr. Dennis M. Schnurr. Page 4.
[7]Msgr. Dennis M. Schnurr. Page 5.
[8]Msgr. Dennis M. Schnurr. Page 7.
[9]John P. Foley. Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Ethics in Internet. http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/pccs/documents/rc_pc_pccs_doc_20020228_ethics-internet_en.html. October 14, 2007
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