We had a paper published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine this week that I think has some very important findings that suggest the need for a somewhat different approach to Internet safety education. It finds that giving out personal information online (one of the key prevention strategies emphasized in safety education) does not really increase a youth's risk for sexual solicitation. Rather risk is related to making a lot of online acquaintances and talking with them about sex. We think it is probably time for a serious debate about whether we should focus so much attention on giving out personal information, which everybody seems to be doing, and which, in the generalized terms it is being proscribed, is unrealistic and probably undercuts the credibility of the authorities who recommend it in the minds of youth listening to such messages.

The other paper from our research that was published this week on pornography exposure grabbed all the attention, and this paper on risk behavior was hardly noticed, although I think it may be more significant in its implications.

David Finkelhor
Director
Crimes against Children Research Center
University of New Hampshire

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Edited by DavidF at 02/08/2007 1:14 PM