Strict privacy laws are not thesolution

-Shweta Powar,

I do keep a tab on the online activities of my child. My 13year-old daughter uses the internet for approximately one hour daily. She surfs the internet for her project work usually. Also, at times she uses it to cat with her friends which I think is alright as one should know how to effectively use the medium rather than being addicted to it. The atmosphere at home is such that my daughter feels free to discuss details about how and what she spends her time online. I have maintained a friendly relationship with my child so I am not worried. I don't think strict privacy laws are the solution. Parents could develop a rapport with the kids so that they understand where to draw the line and what content should be viewed and avoided.

Not allowed to surf without supervision

-Kalpika Agrawal,

There are times when one logs onto a website and some pops-up appear which might not be appropriate for children. So supervision is necessary. I allow my kid a maximum of one hour everyday to surf the internet. My daughter isn't allowed to access anything online if my husband or I'm not at home. Also, she does share with me about what she sees online and also questions me about what she sees online and also questions me about different websites of which she is not aware of. It's important that parents keep a check on their children when they go online because there is a lot of content available which might harm them. I think it is very important to have some strict laws and successfully incorporate them especially at cuber cafes where there is no supervision.

Shoftware better than laws to shield kids

-Radhika S,

I supervise my child whenever he's online. With knowledge comes the responsibility of using it correctly and at the right time. My child is 10 years' old and I do not encourage a separate e-mail id for him which most children have today. I am aware of the pros and cons that internet has to offer, apart from easy accessibility too. My child surfs internet for an hour or so in a day. It's mostly for online games and if it's for studies then I always beside him. I am totally aware of what my child sees on the net. If he wants to surf anything else, he does take my permission first. I have made him aware and discuss with him of the potential cyber crimes. Instead of laws, we could use some child-friendly software to protect children from adult/ violent content.

Chatting is a strict no-no, research fine

-Vaishak Shanbhag,

I seldom supervise my kid's online activities because nowadays kids don't like being interrupted. And if you are too restrictive with them then they tend to go on the wrong path, out of curiosity or rebellion. Surfing on internet is important as I give the liberty to my child to do it as long he is learning something. He is seven years and quite inquisitive. But as far as chatting is concerned, I strictly prohibit it as this is not the right age for him. Many a times we search for stuff online together and since he is young he is keen to learn. But then, you also got to trust your child at some point of time. Strict privacy laws for content available online is the only way the problem can be addressed.