GROWING UP TECH 1

Growing Up Tech:

Navigating The Internet’s Impact on Children

Andi Paige Stevenson

Coastal Carolina University

According to research done in 2015 approximately sixty percent of children in the United

States aged 3-17 use the internet in their home (Child Trends, 2018). Children, when monitored

and taught correctly, can benefit from using the internet in a multitude of ways including: access

to limitless amounts of information on any subject they could imagine, developing and practicing

their skills with the assistance of educational applications, and connecting to both family

members, peers, and other cultures via social media and additional forums. There are certain

risks involved for young people using the internet. However, with the growing focus on

technology in career fields it is important for children to begin their use of the internet and

technology at an early age.

With so many children in the United States using the internet it is important to look at the

ways in which this access is beneficial to their development. Perhaps one of the greatest benefits

to children who use the internet is the fact that it presents a near endless source of information on

any topic they find interesting. Children can watch videos online in order to learn new skills,

research topics that interest them, follow current events, and get information to help them with

homework. There are a multitude of sites that exist to help children navigate searching the web

in a way that is more safe and effective for them. In addition to the wealth of available

information there are also a multitude of websites available to help kids search for information

safely and effectively. Safe Search kids is a search engine powered by Google that is designed

for kids, in order to help them find appropriate resources (Safe Search Kids, 2018). Their search

engine allows children to search for specific types of media including websites, articles, videos,

and more. According to their page uses Google Safe Search and other filtering tools to help

block inappropriate content (Safe Search Kids, 2018). This access to searching the internet is not

only beneficial to a child’s interests, it also presents quick resources to help them with their
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school studies. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, “80 percent of 8th-

graders reported using a computer for schoolwork on a weekday” (National Center for Education

Statistics, 2017). Access to the wide variety of informative sources children can find on the

internet has become a necessary tool for their education. Having internet at home, in addition to

the classroom, allows parents to better monitor what their children are accessing and researching.

Another way children can benefit from early use of the internet and technology is through

the use of educational applications (apps). An educational app can come in a variety of formats

and are often defined as, “apps designed to promote active, engaged, meaningful, and socially

interactive learning” (Munoz, 2015). There are many different types of educational apps which

can be accessed on different types of devices, usually smartphones and tablets. They can be

games, flashcards, eBooks, or other formats which are all geared toward helping a child practice

one or more educational skills. Common areas for educational apps to focus on are language,

reading, STEM, arts, history, and critical thinking. The Apple App store has an education

category which is broken down into education levels from preschool to college and is further

divided in to subcategories based on subject (Apple, 2019). Use of these apps cannot replace

hands on learning and studying with parents, however, they allow children to practice skills in an

engaging way in a variety of on the go situations. For instance, while waiting for a meal to come

in a busy restaurant a child can use their parents phone to practice math or reading rather than

playing a less educational game. These apps are also extremely convenient to use in the car

during commuting time. CNN has reported that elementary aged kids spend more than 2 hours

per day on devices (Howard, 2017), so it only makes sense to use this time in a manner that will

benefit them educationally.

In addition to the educational uses of the internet that children can benefit from, there is a

level of connectivity that benefits them as well. Children can now use the internet to connect

with other people and the world around them through social media, forums, and news outlets.

Social media is an important part of the argument against children’s use of the internet. It is often

argued that the negative effects of social media such as cyber bullying and its addictive nature,

outweigh its benefits. However, social media offers children the opportunity to maintain

relationships with their family members and friends who live in different areas for them. This

can have extremely positive social impacts that could far outweigh the negative. According to a

census collected by Common Sense Media, 15% of tweens and 10% of teens identify themselves

as social networkers (Common Sense Media, 2015). It is important that we educate children on

both the negative and positive impacts of social media to help them use it in an informed way.

Forums also present a new and unique connectivity opportunity for children. Many

forums exist to help children and students ask professionals or peers questions in an anonymous

manner. This represents an important opportunity for children to access information from

professionals that they may feel uncomfortable asking otherwise, as well as the opportunity to

connect with other people their age who may be navigating the same types of issues they are.

Safe Search Kids offers a multitude of resources to help children understand how to use both

social media and forums in a safe way (Safe Search Kids, 2018).

A third way that the internet helps expand a child’s connection with the world is by

helping them be aware of current events. A multitude of news outlets offer children’s versions to

help children be aware of what is happening in the world in a way which is appropriate and

easily understood by their age group. According to their website, “TIME for Kids engages

students with authentic journalism, inspires them to join the national discourse on current topics,
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and provides teachers with valuable resources for the classroom” (TIME Magazine, 2018).

Student news sites are an important way for children to be aware of what is going on around

them in the world and also offers an important opportunity for children to be connected to other

cultures around them.

Children’s use of the internet isn’t without its dangers. Problems such as cyberbullying,

cybercrime, inappropriate content, identity theft, exposure to predators, and host of other issues

can affect our children the moment they are given access to the internet. These problems,

however, shouldn’t lead us to sheltering children from the internet. It should lead us to educate

ourselves on how to allow our children access to all of the benefits of the internet and technology

while guiding them on how to be safe and responsible users. There are a multitude of safe guards

and parental controls that can help a parent manage what their child has access to. Parents can

also find a variety of online resources to help educate themselves and their kids on internet safety

(Safe Search Kids, 2018). Common Sense Media reported that. “85% of parents say monitoring

their child’s media use is important to their child’s safety” (Common Sense Media, 2015). When

it comes to children using the internet there are dangers but with proper education and

monitoring the benefits are much greater than the negative impacts.

In conclusion, technology and use of the internet has become an integral part of growing

up and a child’s education, and limiting this would be a great disservice. With proper monitoring

and when educated properly of the dangers, children can benefit from the wealth of information

at their fingertips, the vast array of educational apps now on the market, and the multitude of

connectivity opportunities that the internet has to offer.

Works Cited
Apple. (2019). App Store. Retrieved from App Store: https://www.apple.com/ios/app-store/
Child Trends. (2018). Home computer access and internet use. Retrieved from Child Trends:
https://www.childtrends.org/indicators/home-computer-access
Common Sense Media. (2015). Media Use By Tweens and Teens. Retrieved from Common
Sense Media : https://www.commonsensemedia.org/the-common-sense-census-media-
use-by-tweens-and-teens-infographic
Howard, J. (2017, October 19). Report: Young Kids Spend Over 2 Hours on Screens. Retrieved
from CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/19/health/children-smartphone-tablet-use-
report/index.html
Munoz, L. M. (2015, May 5). What Makes and App Educational. Retrieved from Cognitive
Nueroscience Society: https://www.cogneurosociety.org/ed_apps_kaufman_may15/
National Center for Education Statistics. (2017). Fast Facts Computer and Internet Use.
Retrieved from NCES: https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=46
Safe Search Kids. (2018). Google for Kids. Retrieved from Safe Search Kids:
https://www.safesearchkids.com/google-kids/#.XMt7whRKjIU
TIME Magazine. (2018). Who we are . Retrieved from TIME for kids:
https://www.timeforkids.com/who-we-are/