GUARDIAN TECHNOLOGY: The web's fourth most dangerous word? Emo.
WEB WORRY WORDS: THE NEW THREAT TO OUR CHILDREN
INTERNET SAFETY EXPERTS REVEAL THE TEN WORDS EVERY PARENT SHOULD FEAR.
As children as young as five now use the internet without supervision, how can mums and dads be sure that their child is not taking part in conversations or messaging that will lead them into danger?
Research published today by internet safety experts Sentry Parental Controls reveal the ten most common words that parents are blocking their children (under 16s) from using or searching for in order to help keep their child safe from internet predators, exposure to inappropriate material or dangerous social networking groups.
The top ten words that parents are monitoring are:
1.Suicide
2.Alone
3.Dope
4.EMO
5.Bully
6.Depressed
7.Skinny
8.Breasts
9.Willy
10.Hate
The ten chosen worry words were drawn from Sentry?s extensive work in the US and UK looking at what words parents most frequently have to block on their home computers using the Sentry software. Blocked words then send an alert signal to parents when children use or are sent messages featuring these words.
While parents naturally worry about their children accessing explicit sex sites or finding out more about drugs, there are other far more subtle aspects of our children?s behaviour ? such as searching for skinny celebrities or taking an unusual interest in death ? that should act as red flags for us to start talking to them about their concerns.
Included in the list was EMO ? a term most parents have until recently not been familiar with. In recent years the word has been associated with a stereotype that includes being emotional, sensitive, shy, introverted, or angsty, it is also often associated with depression, self-injury, and suicide. EMO?s have become known for associating with darker role models such as Marilyn Manson and rock band My Chemical Romance which some parents identify as unhealthy for children of such a young age.
Other themes and trends parents looked for were drugs, eating disorders and sexual references.
Rebecca Fuchs of Sentry Parental Controls comments;
?While the internet is an amazing resource for our kids, it can also be a dangerous and sometimes deadly place for the vulnerable. We?ve all been affected by cases of children who appear to spiral suddenly into problems ? whether that is eating disorders, drugs, suicide attempts or exposure to sexual predators. Responsible parents today really need to be aware of some of the warning signs that their kids might be experiencing social or sexual problems.
?In order to keep our product current and useful to parents we need to keep on top of youth trends and we will keep listening to our customers and highlighting just what they need to be on the lookout for. As a mum myself I worry about the privacy and breadth of information afforded to children by the internet and feel that there are certain aspects of life we still need to protect them from.?
Sentry Parental Controls allows parents to be alerted to any inappropriate online activity as it happens, as well as blocking any unsuitable websites, web chat and applications; monitoring all online activity (surfing, chat logs and email); protecting children from negative situations (such as peer pressure, alcohol and drug abuse) and controlling time usage and settings.
Sentry has been available in the US for two years and is currently used by more than 30,000 American parents. This is the first time it has been available to buy in the UK. Sentry Parental Controls costs £49.99 for three licenses ? equating to just £1.40 per month - a small price to pay for the safety of a child. Visit www.sentryparentalcontrols.co.uk for a free 15 day trial and more information.
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