The vast majority of parents (81%) say they are very or
somewhat concerned about how much information advertisers can collect about
their children's online activities, with 46% in the "very concerned"
category. That is according to a new study from the Pew Internet and American
Life Project.
Previous Pew surveys have found that a majority of adult
Internet users don't like to have their own online behavior tracked and
analyzed. But Pew also points out that "most of the free services
available online involve a tradeoff: In return for being able to access
services online for free, information is collected about users to deliver targeted
advertising."
That collective score topped the list of parent's online
worries, even beating out interaction with strangers online and impact on their
future opportunities and reputations, though those categories drew higher
"very worried" scores.
But parents are doing more than worrying. The study found
that 50% had used parental control, and almost as many had (46%) had talked
with their children about their online profile and had even read privacy
policies (44%).
The study is based on a phone survey of 802 parents and
their teenage children (12-17), conducted July 26-Sept. 30, 2012. The margin of
error was plus or minus 4.5 points.
