CHI0030 - Evidence on Children and the internet

National Council of Women – written evidence (CHI0030)

1. What risks and benefits does increased internet usage present to children, with particular regard to:

i. Social development and wellbeing

There are three items of information NCW is able to provide.

First, in 2012, NCW submitted the following resolution to Government and appropriate National bodies having researched the effects on children of internet pornography.

OPT IN - PROTECT CHILDREN FROM PORNOGRAPHY

The National Council of Women, in Conference assembled, deeply concerned about the physical, mental and moral harm internet pornography could have on children and wishing to protect them, calls on Her Majesty’s Government to make it compulsory for Internet Service Providers to block pornography at source so that pornography can only be accessed by an adult exercising an active choice.

Reasons:

(a) There is ample evidence that young people have accessed pornography online and according to psychologists, viewing porn is more addictive than drugs and alcohol. Research shows that viewing pornography can lead to an acceptance of violent and unhealthy notions of sex and relationships, where women are treated as sex objects and aggressive and violent sexual behaviour is regarded as the norm. Learning about sex without any relationship connections - pornography is a poor sex educator. Exposure to pornography helps to sustain young people’s adherence to sexist and unhealthy notions of sex and relationships. Dr Michael Flood 2009.

(b) It is suggested it is the responsibility of parents to control their children’s viewing and use parental controls to switch off pornography sites into homes. However, this can be costly and complicated and many parents are unaware of the content and effect of pornography on their children. Not all parents are computer-literate and each generation is more knowledgeable than the previous one; often busy parents are unable to keep up with the technology. The onus is all on the parents to take responsibility; while this is the ideal it is not realistic and society has a responsibility to protect children too.

We have a situation where pornography material is the default option in our homes and this is NOT ACCEPTED in any other form of media: television, films, high street hoardings and general print advertising, including lad and porn magazines, are all subject to regulation. The government hopes the ISP will regulate themselves, but they are reluctant to switch off pornography at source. It is an industry worth billions of pounds and our young children are their potential customers. NCW therefore recommends to the government the simplest and most effective way to safeguard our children is to switch off pornography at source.

Second, in 2015, the NCW Conference held an intergenerational Seminar entitled, Social Media and its Effects on Young Women. This involved members of the National Council of Young Women together with students from local schools and colleges. Relevant issues were as follows.

The huge audience potential of Social Media given its absence of geographical and social boundaries, the vulnerability of children of primary school age to its influence, and the 'slut-shaming' and objectifying of girls and women online affecting real-life attitudes and behaviour.
Social Media, like certain films and adverts already in the public domain, promote the attitude that looks and sexual stereotypes are all that matter. This preys on the insecurities not only of women and girls but also of men and boys, in light of the statistic that the number of boys who had committed suicide in 2014 was three and a half times the number of girls.
Re possible solutions, encouraging young people to reduce their contact with Social Media was rejected as a way of ignoring the problem without stopping it. Instead, the power of Social Media could be used positively to set better examples using celebrities as role models. Also, there should be more active policing of online culture, all generations needed to take responsibility by becoming familiar with the technology, and sex education and PSHE in schools should be made available to both girls and boys at a younger age.

Third, NCW held a Seminar in 2015 entitled, Social Media Today. The speakers were Pippa Smith, co-Founder of SaferMedia and Ian Maxted, Safer Cyber Coordinator, Gloucestershire. During the open discussion the following points were made:

Benefits: Most of the audience use Social Media, some much more than others, to keep in touch with family and friends. Instant communication and access to information improves daily life, empowers us and keeps us active.

Difficulties: How do we teach children and young people to understand why it is dangerous to behave inappropriately via Social Media and to be respectful of one another?

Much material is anonymous so it is difficult to resist or retaliate.Think: Who are you letting into your life?

Effect on the psyche – unrealistic expectations lead to anxiety, shame, depression, anorexia.

What should be done?

Better filter systems are required. Opt out to a site should be the default (no action needed), so that Opt in has to actioned if required. (There are proposals from the EU to make it illegal for mobile phone and internet firms automatically to block obscene material - needs watching.)

Better guidelines required regarding: removal of unacceptable material; blocking access to sites by minors. Should the industry police itself or is legislation required?

Gambling and gaming sites have strong verification systems in place to stop access for under 18s. Should these be made compulsory for other ISPs?

Much more education about Internet Safety is required (1) for children and young people (2) for parents who have responsibility for safeguarding their children. Who should do this, and how ?

5. What roles can schools play in educating and supporting children in relation to the Internet?

The following resolution, submitted by NCYW and forwarded to Government in 2013 and again in 2015, upon its reaffirmation contains the findings and recommendations of NCW on this and similar issues.

PSHE BECOMES A FOUNDATION SUBJECT WITHIN THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM MAKING IT STATUTORY FOR KEY STAGES 1 TO 4

NCW urges that Her Majesty’s Government makes Personal, Social and Health (PSHE) Education at Key Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4 a foundation subject within the National Curriculum. We also urge them to make the teaching of PSHE education in Academies at these stages compulsory. PSHE education should be seen as a distinct ‘subject’ with its own unique body of knowledge.

Reasons: (i) Statutory PSHE education will improve access for all, the non-statutory status of much of PSHE education means that some schools are not prioritising the subject and not allocating sufficient curriculum time to it. Some schools are not delivering it at all. (ii) PSHE supports academic learning and develops through its own unique body of core knowledge the capabilities children and young people need to flourish in life and at work. (iii) Research shows children and young people want opportunities to discuss issues that are relevant to their lives and their well-being including emotions, relationships, health issues such as mental health, sexual health, diet and exercise.(iv) HMG puts emphasis on issues such as obesity and dementia, but does not give schools an appropriate means to deliver such messages.(v) Educationalists recognise that many barriers to learning lie outside the classroom and that supporting children’s personal development and well-being (in part through learning in PSHE education) impacts positively on standards of achievement in all subjects.(vi) PSHE education is crucial in safeguarding children. Good PSHE education helps children to learn about personal safety and improve their understanding of positive and respectful relationships.(vii) It can help pupils to recognise positive parenting and family relationships, as well as abusive, harmful or inappropriate behaviours – such as Child Sexual Exploitation and sexualisation and the media(viii) It can support children to develop the confidence to ask for help, which can contribute to a reduction in childhood abuse and neglect. Similarly, evidence shows that PSHE education is an important intervention for the prevention of bullying. (ix) Good SRE taught by trained professionals gives children and young people the knowledge and life skills to resist peer, partner and media pressures and to understand issues such as sexual consent and responsibility.

August 2016