1/1/13
More than nine in 10 parents (91%) say they are well-informed about their teens’ online and cell phone activities, yet fewer than half of teens say their parents are “very” (21%) or “somewhat” (41%) well-informed of their actions, according to the industry group Family Online Safety Institute.
Nearly all parents (93%) say they have talked to their teens about online safety, though only 61% of teens say they have had these discussions. Among teens who use social networks, 81% use privacy settings, 65% have set limits on whom they share their posts with, and 50% have unfriended someone due to an offensive post.
More than eight in 10 parents (84%) with teens who use cell phones monitor their teens’ phones at least “somewhat closely,” 79% review their teens’ browsers, and 70% review their text messages.
Meanwhile, only 39% of teen cell phone users think their parents monitor their cell phones. More than half of teens say they are “not very” (32%) or “not at all” bothered by their parents’ monitoring of their online or cell phone activities.
Parents underestimate teens’ concerns over identity theft (21% vs. 44%) and their level of concern about whether their online posts will create problems with colleges and employers (10% vs. 30%). That said, both parents (94%) and teens (95%) say it’s safe for teens to use the Internet.
Source: Family Online Safety Institute, Jennifer Hanley, 400 7th St., NW, #306, Washington, DC 20004; 202-2775-0131; jhanley@fosi.org; www.fosi.org.
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