Misleading stories about online dangers 'distract from real issues'

"Scaremongering" is fuelling parents' fears about the dangers the internet poses to their children, according to the Nominet Trust.

Around a third of those who took part in a study, The Impact of Digital Technologies on Human Wellbeing, carried out for the internet charity, even believed the internet has the "power to ‘rewire' brains without a person's knowledge".

The Nominet Trust said because of so many misleading stories leading to these sorts of conclusions, the "internet has become the victim of a vicious ‘smear campaign'".

The research also found that eight in 10 UK parents have read a negative story about the internet.

Annika Small, Nominet Trust director, said: "The Nominet Trust believes in the internet as a force for social good. We fund projects that help people get online, be safe online, and change their world for the better. Exaggerated fears about internet use can potentially deny its benefits to those most in need."

To help address the misleading information currently available, the Trust worked with Dr Paul Howard-Jones, a neuroscience and education expert. He concluded that there is "no neurological evidence to suggest that the internet is more effective at ‘rewiring' our brains than other environmental influences".

The research also found that parental fears about social-networking sites are to a great extent unfounded, with the report saying they were not a special source of risk to children.

It added that playing action video games can be beneficial by improving visual processing and motor response skills.

Small said that the Trust wanted people to be safe online and it was important that people were not distracted from the real online dangers and issues by spurious reports and unfounded fears.

She said this is why the Trust has funded the research and projects such as Digital Me "Safe". This scheme provides practical tools to help children use the internet safely.

"I want to see a proper debate among policy makers, based on accurate research, about the effects of using interactive technologies on young people's brains, behaviours and attitudes, without resorting to scaremongering that parents are being subjected to on a regular basis.

"Our aim is to provide people with a clear and independent information resource that will help them navigate the minefield of misleading information on internet use. And our grassroots projects open up the positive benefits the internet can have for everyone who uses it," said Small.