Helping teenagers deal with online risks, rather than trying to keep them offline, may be a more practical and effective way to keep them safe.
In a study, more resilient teens were less likely to suffer negative effects even if they were frequently online, says Haiyan Jia, postdoctoral scholar in information sciences and technology at Penn State.
“Internet exposure does not necessarily lead to negative effects, which means it’s okay to go online, but the key seems to be learning how to cope with the stress of the experience and knowing how to reduce the chances of being exposed to online risk,” Jia says.
As much as there are negatives associated with online use, there are also a lot of benefits to using online technologies.
