Parents Beware: Kids in California Are Not Safe When Doing This

Nearly everyone uses the internet these days. Few jobs function without the internet in some capacity. It is used to apply for jobs, communicate, do work, and even used to watch movies and shows these days. When the internet goes out, most people panic, as life is tough to function without it these days. When it comes to parenting, many parents use it to educate their kids, keep them quiet, entertain them, or even to parent their children. When allowing kids to access the internet, you need to be careful. There are certain states where kids are in more danger, and less safe than others, and it is up to the parents to help protect them as best they can.

The Safest and Most Dangerous States For Online Safety for Kids

When it comes to children in California, there are plenty of things to worry about. Anytime a child leaves their home, there are concerns of them being kidnapped, being hit by a car, drowning in the ocean, or being eaten by a shark. Even at home, there are concerns, and the internet should be one of the biggest. A list recently released on cloudwards.net ranked the states by online safety for kids. They used a few categories to do so, such as crimes and threats, cyberbullying, cyberbullying and legislation, and mental health support. Using these criteria, it was determined that Utah is the safest state for children on the internet, with Hawaii being second and New Jersey being third. The most dangerous state for children to live in online is Oregon. 

Is California a Safe or Dangerous State for Children Online?

According to the study, California is the second most dangerous state for children to be online. They are the worst state when it comes to crimes and threats, ranking 20 in cyberbullying, 9 in cyberbullying and legislation, and 12 in mental health support. California has the most cybercrime complaints and sees the most issues when it comes to crimes against children, harassment, stalking, and threats of violence. The only thing saving California from being the worst state is that it offers plenty of mental support to children who are dealing with these online issues. It's important to remind our children to be careful with whom they are speaking, not to share personal information, and to not meet anyone in person that they only know online. 

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The internet can be a scary place, especially for children. Sadly, children spend too much time online and it exposes them and puts them at risk of the threats mentioned. Living in California raises those risks, and that is why if possible, it is best to encourage your child to stay offline and find other ways to spend their time. To see the full study, make sure to click the link in the second paragraph above.