InetRisks - Changing Attitudes of Adults (parents) on Internet-Related Risks for Young Adolescents: Difference between revisions

Research available indicates that totally unsupervised Internet use by children may bear dangers for themselves and their family. Although youngsters (in particular the older ones) express confidence regarding what is safe and/or unsafe and what precautions to take, it seems that certain children adopt more risky behaviour than they say and think. On the other hand, children declare that in case of problems they turn to their parents. But in actual fact, some (once more mostly the older ones) avoid resorting to this solution or limit it to the ones they perceive to be “serious” cases. Moreover, turning to “authority figures” such as teachers or the police is very seldom seen without reluctance. The project aimed at developing skills, concepts and knowledge that would facilitate the targeted groups to develop a new mentality, that of using the Internet safely. To achieve this aim, the targeted groups were involved in the actual application of all the information they received through various sources (e.g. safer internet centers), in ways that were not perceived as another school “lesson” or simply as “theoretical information”. Game playing is a well known method for its learning benefits. Therefore, the project confronted the issue of developing a “culture” in using the Internet Safely through the development of the Simsafety Game.