Being Held Accountable

There are several reasons why parents should worry about their children’s online access. The online world is just as scary and just as dangerous as the real world. There are predators searching for their next victims for sexual exploitation, bullying, and stalking. Children On-Line Newsletter states parents should be responsible for educating their children on the dangers of providing personal information online. Yet, I do not feel that is enough. Even though parents speak with their children of the preventions of being bullied or prevent their kids from being bullies, they are not monitoring their child 24/7. As a parent of two children who can be disruptive, it is easier to hand over an IPAD or computer. My children are three and four years old, not old enough to create an online account but they are aware of the functions of the apps I have on my phone. When they become teenagers, I have no doubt that they will be electronically proficient.

A parent’s schedule is hectic enough that it is a job in itself to keep track of their child’s computer use. Yet, that is no excuse when their child harasses their peers. Some kids have even committed suicide due to being bullied online. It is easy to say kids will be kids in and off school grounds. That is not an excuse to harass their peers, strangers, and closed loved ones. Children under the age of eighteen years old are not mature enough to take responsibility for their immature actions on line. Therefore, I strongly believe parents should be held accountable for their children’s actions toward another child. They should be prosecuted for not monitoring their child’s account if their child harms another child through online bullying. Hopefully seeing their parent in jail will prevent further bullying.