Meeting to raise awareness of internet risks for children

May 5th, 2011
[by David Armstrong]

Parklands School is hosting a presentation by an internet safety and risk assessment expert to explain and advise on managing the problematic issues that online media pose for children and their parents.

The meeting will be held at Memorial Hall next Wednesday, May 11th, from 7pm to 9pm, and is open to all people, but aimed especially for parents whose children are actively using (or nagging to use) media such as the internet, Facebook, cellphones, chatrooms and blogsites.

The presentation, titled "Raising awareness and identifying the risks", will be made by John Parsons, a consultant for Simulate 2 Educate (www.simulate2educate.co.nz), an organisation committed to teaching young people and adults how to appropriately and safely use the Internet.

Organisers say young people today are suffering from the consequences of using these products inappropriately, especially given that what people place on websites such as Facebook remain in 'cyberspace' forever. These bad consequences include employment opportunities being lessened, real-world theft, identity theft, damaged reputation and sexual predation.

One Motueka parent told us that he had attended this presentation elsewhere and had subsequently decided, with his daughter, that she would hold off starting a Facebook page for a while yet.

Refreshments will be available at the meeting. There will be a gold coin entry charge.

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