The findings of a telephone survey conducted by the National School Boards Association and Children's Television Workshop released this week indicate school-age children use the Internet primarily for schoolwork.

The "Safe & Smart -- Research and Guidelines for Children's Use of the Internet" study of 1,735 parents and 601 children indicate the United States is becoming a "cybernation." Research indicates 61 percent of nine- to 17-year-olds use the Internet, while only 52 percent of their parents spend time online. In 49 percent of the households surveyed, at least one child uses the Internet.

Parents also stated that 48 percent of nine- to 12-year-olds spend time online, which is significantly lower than the 71 percent of children 13 to 17 years old using the Internet.

Girls seem to be using the Internet as often as boys, although for different reasons. Most girls said they use the Web for education, e-mail and chat rooms while boys indicated they use it for entertainment and games when not doing schoolwork.

Also, parents said they trust their children to use the Internet responsibly and that kids' television viewing has decreased since the Internet came into their homes.

Both parents and children said their families purchased a personal computer for educational purposes and that the World Wide Web does not interrupt daily habits or duties. The study also suggested that publicized reports claiming the Internet is isolating children from their family and their environment are inaccurate, if not false.

On the heels of the study, the Seattle Times reports the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, which forces Web sites catering to children less than 13 years old to obtain permission from parents before collecting personal information about their surfing habits, goes into effect April 21. The federal regulations require Web sites to disclose when and how they are using cookies. The law does not, however, restrict how the information can be used.

A copy of the "Safe & Smart" report is currently available at:
http://www.nsbf.org/safe-smart/full-report.htm

Full text of the article is currently found at:
http://www.seattletimes.com/news/nation-world
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