Protecting Children Online

For children born and raised in a digital world, the Internet, social networking sites, cell phones and text messaging are integral parts of their lives.  Many parents, however, are worried that kids will encounter sexually explicit or violent materials or be solicited by sexual predators while exploring the Internet or when visiting social networking sites or chat rooms.  The potential dangers facing children on the Internet are more complex than news headlines sometimes indicate, however, leading researchers to recommend a multi-pronged approach to Internet safety for children.  This approach involves parental supervision, education in schools, law enforcement involvement, responsible policies and practices by Internet service providers and websites, and use of a combination of protective technologies.  State legislatures have used several approaches to address the issue.