CNET News
Parents are more worried about advertisers having access to their children’s online data than about their children talking to strangers online, according to a report published Tuesday. The Pew Internet Project and the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University collaborated on the report, which is based on a survey if 802 parents of children aged 12 to 17 with questions about social-networking sites, namely Facebook. As more and more teens and pre-teens use social media as a part of their every day communications , the study finds that parents worried about a variety of online dangers – it’s no longer just about warning your kids not to talk to strangers. The survey found that 81 percent of parents said they are concerned about how much information advertisers can learn about their teen’s online behavior. When it came to their teens interacting with strangers online, 72 percent said they were concerned. Parents were even less were worried about their children’s reputation online, but not by much, according to the study. The survey asked if parents were concerned that something their teens posted online could ruin the teens’ reputations, and if their behaviors online could end up affecting their academic or employment opportunities. Sixty-nine parents said yes to both scenarios.
