TITLE

MISUSE OF INTERNET AMONG CHILDREN

SUPERVISOR:
MS GHAZAL RIAZ AHMED

CONDUCTED BY

A. KALEEM SIDDIQUI
(SP08-BB-0023)

Q. M. SADIQ
(SP08-BB-0091)

S. ASHIQ ALI
(SP08-BB-0101)

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ABSTRACT
The Internet was originally designed to facilitate communication and research activities. However, the dramatic
increase in the use of the Internet in recent years has led to internet addiction and misuse, especially among
children.

The use of internet is rapidly growing in all spheres of life due to the enormous amount of information it offers,
virtually rebounding answer to every possible query you make. However, if not used for constructive purpose,
this immensely useful technology can also backfire.

As children Internet use grew exponentially in the last decade, with it emerged a number of correspondent
expectations. Among them were the following:

(1) that gender predicts usage, i.e., that boys spend more time online, surfing the web and playing violent
games, while girls chat or shop online;

(2) That Internet use causes social isolation and depression, especially for teens; and

(3) That children misuse the Internet for anonymous identity experimentation.

Our research focuses on the misuse of internet by school children.

Hypothesis: This study reports the analysis of the misuse of internet among children and how it may affect their
education, health and career.

Problem: try to stop or cut down the misuse among children by using filtering software, by educating the
parents and telling them to monitor their children and keep a check of the websites visited by their children.

Method: when we were assigned the report, we were told to select a topic of our own choice and get it
approved by our course instructor. We listed 4 topics and showed them to our teacher and she advised us to
work on “misuse of internet among school children”.

We then discussed this topic with the teacher and with friends and took their comments ad then we made a
survey form which was to be filled by our target population. The survey form was checked and approved by our
teacher and we then started getting them filled by school children of class 8th, 9th ad 10th. We visited 3 different
use schools and got our forms filled.

Findings: through the findings of our research, we can say that girls are less prone to internet as compared to
boys. The extent to which both genders misuse internet is more in boys. Secondly, the research suggests that
girls are less addicted to internet than boys.

BACKGROUND
Internet has emerged as an essential media channel for personal communications, academic research,
information exchange, and entertainment. While the positive aspects are renowned, concerns continue to mount
regarding problematic Internet usage behaviors.

~2~
The internet is an exciting technological advancement that is becoming very common now days because it is on
of the fastest ways of getting information. People of different status and age group use the net in various ways.
It is used commonly for business information exchange, education and communication. The extent of use of the
net in everyday life has become so common that it is now an integral part of our lives.

As the internet is being increasingly used as an education and information resource, parents have to decide how
to make it a safe place for their children. Pornography, violence, obscenity and hatred lurk in unexpected places,
and innocent children stumble upon them all too frequently.

It is not the problem of parents and their children only, but employees viewing and trading pornographic,
offensive or otherwise unproductive material has also emerged as a key concern of many business managers.
Not only are these activities wasteful of time and resources in themselves, they may also involve the employer
in legal issues. The ease of access and distribution of these materials makes these issues all too common in daily
business.

LITERATURE REVIEW
There are many misuses of internet faced by us in our daily life. Some of them are most common amongst
school children include:

Hacking: breaking into computer systems.

Instant Messaging: a type of communications service that enables you to create a kind of private chat room
with another individual in order to communicate in real time over the Internet.

Porn: A slang term used to describe e-mail spam specifically of adult content or of a pornographic nature. Sites
containing profane and vulgar language, expletives, revealing attire, adult situations, criminal activity, nudity
and any other subjects generally considered inappropriate for children.

Viruses/Malicious codes: Malicious code is the term used to describe any code in any part of a software system
or script that is intended to cause undesired effects, security breaches or damage to a system.
It is a security terms that includes attack scripts, viruses, worms, Trojan horses, backdoors, and malicious active
content.

Cyber Bullying: Slang term used to describe online harassment, which can be in the form of flames, comments
made in chat rooms, the sending of offensive or cruel e-mail, or even harassing others by posting on blogs, Web
pages or social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook or MySpace. Unlike physical bullying, cyber bullying
can often be difficult to track as the cyber bully — the person responsible for the acts of cyber bullying — can
remain anonymous when threatening others online

Gambling: Sites that promote or practice gambling involving the use of actual money, illegally or otherwise, in
the form of online casinos, lotteries, or sports betting.

Drug/Alcohol Abuse: Sites encouraging or glamorizing the use of alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs, instructions
for manufacturing illegal substances, references to drug paraphernalia, “drug culture”, and promoting/selling
alcohol and/or tobacco to minors.
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A research on the same topic as ours was conducted by Nimra Amjad. The summary of her findings is stated
below
(Source: dawn newspaper April 26, 2003)

Statistics for the year 2000 available on the internet reveal that only 4.5 persons per 1000 people in Pakistan use
internet compared with 45 in India, 14.5 in Iran, 10.5 in Sri Lanka and 6.5 in Nepal.

In a survey she conducted in Karachi last year, it was found that:

• 86 per cent of the children surveyed said they have computers at their homes.

• 93 per cent of parents questioned said they want to monitor children over the internet.

• None of the respondents is using any filtering software.

• 75 per cent respondents are willing pay extra amount for web filtering through ISPs
It was further disclosed in the survey that the four most common activities performed by children online are:

- Emails, Chatting, Downloading songs, Searching for cracking tools.

We choose the topic “misuse of internet” in order to make people aware about the misuse of internet in their
surroundings. Internet is a global network which is used by everyone. Especially kids are exposed to material
that is inappropriate for them. There are some Sites and filtering software currently available to prevent
unsupervised children use of unsuitable information available on the net. We want to put this issue in front of
all, specially the parents, so that they can monitor their children.

As the internet is being increasingly used as an education and information resource, parents have to decide how
to make it a safe place for their children. Pornography, violence, obscenity and hatred lurk in unexpected places,
and innocent children stumble upon them all too frequently.

It is not the problem of parents and their children only, but employees viewing and trading pornographic,
offensive or otherwise unproductive material has also emerged as a key concern of many business managers.
Not only are these activities wasteful of time and resources in themselves, they may also involve the employer
in legal issues. The ease of access and distribution of these materials makes these issues all too common in daily
business.

The filtering should be made compulsory in schools, colleges and other educational institutes so that the
students only use internet solely for the educational purpose.

It is more effective to block unhealthy activities from the server end as it’s more secure and people cannot
bypass it easily. For this purpose, family friendly ISPs need to join hands.

METHOD
a. Subjects:

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 The research was conducted on school children of class 8th 9th and 10th aged between 14 and 16.

b. Procedure:
Our research had a sample size of 40 students; 20 of them were girls and 20 were boys. Their age as
mentioned below, was between 14 and 16 years and they were students of secondary classes.

We tried to collect as authentic information from them as we could but there were some extraneous variables
which could not be controlled by us. For example, some students were in a hurry as they had to catch their
school vans, some of them were not in a good mood because they had a bad test in their class, some had test
after 20 minutes so they were stressed about it.

Variables such as these might have affected their filling of the questionnaire with the accurate information.

c. Statistical evaluation:
The statistical analysis of our research findings is done by using simple average and percentage method. We
have totaled the answers of all our questionnaires and showed them in the form of bar graphs. These bar
.graphs show the results in a more clear form and also show the comparison of internet misuse among boys
and girls.

RESULTS

QUESTION 1:
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 14
12
10
8 males
6 females

4
2
0
chat surfing movie/songs others

Majority of students perceive chat and doing school stuff from the word INTERNT.

QUESTION 2:
14
12
10
8 males
6 females
4
2
0
less than 1 hr more than 1 as much as I
hr can

Most of the boys spend more than 1 hr and girls spend less than 1 hr on net
QUESTION 3:

10
8
6 males
4 females
2
0
chat downloads social visit porn school other
rooms networks websites work

Mostly boys download (songs, movies, games) and girls visit social networks

QUESTION 4:
~6~
 14
12
10
8 males
6 females
4
2
0
get go to doesn't others
frustrated friend's matter
place

It doesn’t matter for most of the girls when they don’t get access to internet a day and boys go to friend’s place
to use internet.
QUESTION 5
no. of students

16 males
14 f emales
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
specif ic w henever w hen w hen
time get time have there is
tsome no one to
w ork monitor

Majority of the students said they use the internet whenever they get time.

QUESTION 6
male
9
female
8
no. of students

7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
depressed bad mood getting alone at
bored home

Most of the boys said they use internet more when they are not in a good mood, and the girls said they use it
when they are getting bored.

QUESTION 7

~7~
 14
male
12 female

10
no. of students

0
friends anyone strangers relatives

When asked whom do they chat with on the internet, 62% boys said they chat with anyone available online,
while majority of the girls said they chat with friends only.

QUESTION 8
males males
14 f emale 7 f emales
no. of students

s
12 6
10
5
4
8
3
6
2
4 1
2
0
f riends internet f amily anyone
0
f riends
yes no

The reply to the question about sharing personal photos and movies, majority of the boys said they do share
their personal photos with anyone they feel like, whereas majority of girls said they do not share their personal
photos on the Internet and when they do, its only limited to their friends.

QUESTION 9:

~8~
 14
12
10
8 males
6 females
4
2
0
yes no,I wont no,I,ll if I get
chance

Most of the males met with the person whom they didn’t know personally and majority of girls didn’t met and
wont if they ever get chance

QUESTION 10:

20

16
no.of students

12 males
8 females

0
yes no

Majority of the parents don’t ask about what their children do on the internet, or don’t keep a check on their
visited web pages.
QUESTION 11:

20

16
no. of students

12 males
8 females

0
yes no

Majority don’t inform their parent when they chat with a stranger.

QUESTION 12:
~9~
 16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
feel feel repeatedly feel restless, stay online risked the lied to anyone use the
preoccupied unsatisfied made moody, longer loss of to conceal the Internet as a
unsuccessful depressed, or relationship, extent of my way of
males efforts to irritable when job, involvement escaping
control or attempting to educational with the from
females stop Internet stop Internet or career Internet problems of
use use opportunity depression,
guilt, or
anxiety

Majority of student check mark their behavior that they stay online longer than originally intended.

DISCUSSION
According our report:

• 52% of girls perceive chat from the word INTERNT and 60% of males perceive surfing from it.
• 35% boys download (songs, movies, games) where as 43% girls visit social networks
• 63% of student check mark their behavior that they stay online longer than originally intended.
• 76% of students don’t inform their parent when they chat with a stranger.
• 60% of the males met with the person whom they didn’t know personally where as 55% of female didn’t
met and wont if they ever get chance.
• 30% of the boys said they do share their personal photos with anyone.
• 62% boys said they chat with anyone available online, while 48% of the girls said they chat with friends
only.
• 60% of the boys spend more than 1 hr where as 62% of girls spend less than 1 hr on net.
• 73% of the parents don’t ask about what their children do on the internet, or don’t keep a check on their
visited web pages.
• 62% girls said it doesn’t matter if they don’t get access to internet a day but 45% boys go to friend’s
place to use internet.

Our research shows that males misuse internet more than females. While conducting interview we asked
teachers about student performance. They said girls are getting good scores than boys. Most of the boys
have problems like uncompleted assignments, more absences than girls and etc. As our survey shows that
60% of boys spend more than 1 hr on net so internet is effecting badly the studies of students especially
boys.

~ 10 ~
 On comparing our report with others we find out the same abuses of internet mentioned in our report and
many other reports high light that most of the misuse of internet is done by males .our results shows the
same thing.

LIMITATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

The sample size for our research was 41 subjects, which is of course a very small sample size. We cannot say
that this research is reliable because the results are only based on 41 subjects. There might be flaws in overall
results due to this limitation

In relation to the internet, we need a shared culture of responsibilities with families, government ad
organizations all playing their part to reduce the availability of potentially harmful material, restrict access to it
by children and to increase children’s resilience. We would like to make some suggestions for the government
and for the parents which may help in controlling the misuse of Internet by children.

For the Government:

1. The Government should ensure that e-safety best practice is well reflected in guidance and exemplar case
studies across the curriculum as part of the support being provided to help schools to implement the new
curriculum.

2. We also recommend that the independent review of the primary curriculum should be done which must take
full notice of e-safety issues.

3. The TDA should take steps to ensure that new teachers entering the profession are equipped with e-safety
knowledge and skills.

4. The Government should encourage school owners and teachers to focus on e-safety by identifying it as a
national priority for continuous professional development of teachers and the wider school workforce
That in all schools, action must be taken at a whole-school level to ensure that e-safety is mainstreamed
throughout the school’s teaching, learning and other practices.

For parents:

1. It is important for parents to educate them-selves about this technology and the myriad opportunities for fun
and learning that it offers. Just as there are different television programs and different kinds of magazines some
appropriate for kids of certain ages and some not appropriate for kids at all —there are many types of places to
visit in cyberspace. Spending time online with your child is one of the best ways to monitor them and teach
them what is right and what is wrong. This will help a lot in cutting down internet crimes and misuse.

2. Ask children to share their favorite Web sites and what they like about them. Help them discover Websites
that can help them with their homework, hobbies, and other special interests. Doing this will help you make
your children use the internet for the good purposes and will save them from misusing it.

3. Consider locating your home computer in a family area where use can be shared and monitored. Teach your
children “netiquette” how to behave online.
~ 11 ~
4. Just as you teach your child rules about dealing with strangers outside the home, you must provide rules for
communicating online. Teaching your children about the basic rules and making them aware of the hazards can
help in keeping them away from misusing the internet.

Since there is no limit on use of internet, it frequently exposes kids to material that is inappropriate for them.
Site and content web filtering is currently the best way to prevent unsupervised children to the unsuitable
information available on the net.

Unfortunately, most people do not use the internet wisely. The big question is: Can we block undesirable web
sites and check unhealthy activities on the net?

The answer to this question can solve all the problems people are suffering because of the misuse of internet
which is growing day by day and creating many problems for all the people living in society.

If the parents/guardians had the control over what websites their children use and visit and what activities they
perform on the internet, it will be extremely easy to stop children from getting involved in the undesirable
activities they perform by misusing the Internet.\

REFERENCE
• http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,1607,7-164-35846-66818--,00.html

• http://www.celticsurf.net/webscape/abuse.html

• http://www.scribd.com/doc/4337260/Harmful-content-on-the-Internet-and-in-video-games-

• Alger, B.(1993),``Some thoughts about learning in the Information Age'', Access,Vol.7No.1,pp.10-11.

• BBC News(1998), Will the Internet Help Children to Learn?, 20January, available at:
http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/talking_point/newsid_46000/46754.asp
• Cooper, J.(1999),``Teachers avoiding the Net'',
• Donert, K.(1995),``Along the Superhighway into the classroom''
• Williams,P.(1999),``Net Generation: the experiences, attitudes and behavior of children using the
Internet for their own purposes'', Aslib Proceedings,Vol.50No.9,pp.315-22.
• Research by Elisheva F. Gross on ‘ Adolescent Internet Use’, available at
http://www.scribd.com/doc/3254811/Adolescent-Internet-Use

Commercial Aggressive Sexual Values

~ 12 ~
Content Adverts Violent/hateful Pornographic or Bias
(child as recipient) Spam content unwelcome sexual Racist
Sponsorship content Misleading info or
Personal info advice
Contact Tracking Being bullied, Meeting strangers Self-harm
(child as Harvesting harassed or stalked Being groomed Unwelcome
participant) personal info persuasions
Conduct Illegal Bullying or Creating and Providing
(child as actor) downloading harassing another uploading misleading info or
Hacking Gambling inappropriate advice
Financial scams material
Terrorism

CONCLUSION
Our children are growing up in a global information society. Librarians in partnership with parents, educators,
law enforcement officials, elected officials, online corporations, public interest groups, and the media must
learn, and then teach our children the critical viewing and thinking skills that will help them decipher and
evaluate this new world of information online. People of all ages must be able to distinguish between
information that is useful and valuable and that which is not to assess, as well as to access. The Internet offers
an exciting world to children, but it is essential that they learn to handle and reject content that may be offensive
to their values, to respect many different points of view, and to adhere independently to online safety rules when
confronted with uncomfortable situations. They must learn to make wise use of new information technologies
and be accountable for safe and responsible online behavior. The entire community, including parents, public
officials, media representatives, and librarians, can work together, each fulfilling our proper role to support
children in learning to be wise consumers of new information technologies.

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