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Issue Description
In the past fifteen years the Internet has revolutionised the way we communicate and share information, but there are also many online dangers to trap an unwary user. What impact has the Internet had on our lives? Do the dangers of the Internet outweigh its benefits? How can we protect ourselves from identity theft, viruses and Internet predators? This book looks at Internet trends and online risks.
The information comes from a variety of sources, including government reports and statistics, newspapers and magazine articles, surveys and polls, academic research and literature from charities and lobby groups; articles have been tailored to an 11 to 14 age group. Additionally, at the end of each chapter are two pages of activities relating to the articles and issues raised in that chapter.
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Key Facts
- In 2007 we spent an average of 7 hours and 9 minutes a day using a range of communications services – up by 6 minutes from 2002. This includes watching television, surfing the net, using our mobiles, talking on a landline phone and listening to the radio. (pages 4-5)
- Instant messaging, member community sites and email account for the most time spent by Britons whilst surfing the web or using Internet-related applications, according to Nielsen Online. (page 6)
- Many young people are spending more than 20 hours a week using sites such as Bebo, MySpace, Facebook and YouTube, according to research published by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr). (page 14)
- Childrens illicit online activity is putting them in danger, with parents totally unaware of this high-risk behaviour, according to new research. (page 13)
- Cybercrime is on the rise with a UK victim hit every 10 seconds. (page 21)
- Internet addiction is now a serious public health issue that should be officially recognised as a clinical disorder, according to a leading psychiatrist. (pages 24-25)
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Table of Contents
Chapter One: The Internet Revolution
15 years of the world wide web, Web 2.0, Communication nation, What do Britons do online?, The digital divide, Internet plagiarism, Time to trust the digital generation, Nerdic is fastest-growing language, Speech will replace keyboards, Activities.
Chapter Two: Risks and Dangers
A generation raised online, UK kids take online risks behind closed doors, Your electronic footprint, Child Internet safety, Internet shopping, Identity fraud worry, Cybercrime, File sharing, The virus of Internet repression, Addiction to Internet is an illness, Activities.
