Its been a few years now since the internet waltzed into our lounge rooms and more recently into our pockets.  Nearly 20 years in fact (wow, that makes me feel old). I think it is fair to say it’s influence on our daily lives has evolved at lightning speed. It is this online world where we seek information, we seek entertainment and we seek connection. It is no longer however, just about researching, shopping, banking, booking flights and diagnosing our own ailments. Now we are meeting, reconnecting, dating, and in constant contact with friends as Social Networking Sites begin to take on face to face interaction.

Despite the challenges and potential dangers of life online, it really is a great time to live. The internet provides us with so many opportunities for work, for support, for connecting and for learning. But just as the offline world  bequeaths us certain rights and responsibilities, so too must the online world. If much of our living and the living of our kids is to be done online, it is imperative that we as parents help to ensure our kids have both of these under control.

The United Nations outlines some basic human rights that should be afforded every child. Whilst we know this is way too often not the case, theoretically, every child has the right to knowledge, to protection, to participation, to justice, to education and to health.  These rights must extend to life online. [Read more...]