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American Youth and the Internet

American Youth and the Internet. EU Kids Online: European Research on Cultural, Contextual & Risk Issues regarding Children and the Internet June 11, 2009 London School of Economics and Political Science, London. David Finkelhor, Ph.D . Janis Wolak, JD University of New Hampshire

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American Youth and the Internet

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  1. American Youth and the Internet EU Kids Online: European Research on Cultural, Contextual & Risk Issues regarding Children and the Internet June 11, 2009 London School of Economics and Political Science, London David Finkelhor, Ph.D. Janis Wolak, JDUniversity of New Hampshire Crimes against Children Research Center

  2. Not the Same: The Internet has risks The Internet promotes risks

  3. The Internet as risk amplifier Makes youth more vulnerable to predators Promotes risky sexual behavior Encourages suicide/anorexia Threatens academic & physical development Promotes bullying, crime & extremism

  4. More sexual victimization?

  5. Juvenile Sexual Victimization Trends, 1993 - 2005 52% Decline Victimizations: *Note: Known offenders are family members or acquaintances; unknown offenders are strangers or unidentified. Source: National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), each year, for number of incidents; Crimes Against Children Research Center (CCRC) calculations for rates.

  6. Sexual Abuse Substantiations 1990-2006*:Extrapolated to U. S. Child Population 53% Decline Rate per 10,000 Children (<18) *Source: NCANDS

  7. More risky sexual behavior?

  8. Teenage Birth Rates, 1991-2005 Rate per 1,000 Females (15-17 yrs old) Source: National Vital Statistics Reports: Sept. 25, 2001, Vol. 49 (10); June 6, 2002, Vol. 50 (10); Dec.17, 2003,Vol. 52 (10); Nov.23, 2004 Vol.53(9).

  9. Grades 9 - 12: Sexual intercourse with 4 or more people, 1991-2005 30% decline1991-2005 Source: Youth Risk Behavior Survey

  10. 9th Graders: Ever had sexual intercourse,1991-2007 -16%1991-2007 *Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  11. Grades 9 -12: Intercourse, past 3 months, 1991-2007 -6%1991-2007 *Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  12. Girls: 1st sexual experience age 15 or younger with someone 3+ years older, 1995-2002 -10%1995-2002 *Source: Child Trends’ analyses of the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth

  13. Grades 9 – 12: Condom use by sexually active students, 1991-2007 +35%1991-2007 *Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  14. Promotes suicide?

  15. Teen suicide, 1990-2003 Rate per 100,000 Teens (15-17 yrs) Source: Center for Disease Control: WISQARS (fatal suicides, all types)

  16. Grades 9-12: Thought seriously about attempting suicide, 1991-2005 *Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention

  17. 12th Graders: Felt sad or hopeless,1999-2005 *Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention

  18. Negative effect on academics and physical activity?

  19. 8th Grade: National mathematics scores , 1990-2007 *Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences

  20. K-8th Grade: After-school sports at least once a week, 2001-2005 +10%2002-2005 *Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics

  21. 8th Graders: 4+ hours of television daily, 1991-2006 -21%1991-2006 *Source: Monitoring the Future data, 1991-2006

  22. Promotes bullying, crime, extremism?

  23. Ages 12-18: Criminal victimization at school, past 6 months, 1995 - 2005 Total Percent 60% decline1995-2005 Source: Dinkes, R., Forrest Cataldi, E., Kena, G., & Baum, K. (2006). Indicators of school crime and safety: 2006 (NCES 2007-003/NCJ214262). Washington, DC: US Departments of Education and Justice.

  24. Ages 12-18: Targets of hate words at school, past 6 months, 1999-2005 -15%1999-2005 *Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the national Crime Victimization Survey, 1999-2005

  25. Grades 9-12: Physical fight in the past year, 1991-2007 -16%1991-2007 *Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  26. 8th Graders: Marijuana use, past 30 days, 1996-2006 -42%1996-2006 *Source: Monitoring the Future data

  27. Could the Internet be protective? Reducing boredom and alienation Changing patterns of risky offline exploration Increasing detection of risky behavior and conduct problems

  28. Other explanations for improvements Economic prosperity More effective social problem intervention Psychiatric medications

  29. Implications for Research

  30. Study Internet risk in context of all risk • Examine totality of harms • E.g., online bullying as an aspect of bullying • Test whether activity patterns contribute to overall risk and risks in specific contexts • For both online and offline activities

  31. Common definitions of risk and harm in online and offline contexts Online and offline bullying Online and offline sexual solicitation Online and offline sexual crimes

  32. Measure and differentiate the very serious portion of the risk spectrum Not just casual sexual solicitation Not just any mean language Not just any exposure to pornography

  33. Measure whether “risks” result in real harms Use accepted measures of harm Capture populations most likely to experience harm Reconsider use of “risk” unless involves criminality or empirical associations with harm

  34. Enjoy… The vibrancy of the youth online culture The opportunity to contribute to discoveries about childhood and the modern world The pleasures of good colleagues

  35. Crimes against Children Research Center University of New Hampshire david.finkelhor@unh.edu janis.wolak@unh.edu www.unh.edu/ccrc

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