Current Trends in Internet Usage and Cyber Crimes against Youth

Based on a written survey, this paper examines the current trends in internet use and cyber crime against youth for a given set of demographic conditions and presents suggestions for related safety measures and precautions. A written survey of young internet users aged between 10 and 17 years was conducted in the schools of Chandigarh, India. It showed that nearly 84 percent of the youth surveyed have internet connectivity at their homes. Seventy percent of the youth surveyed use the internet for social networking, the majority of whom share photographs, videos and personal information online. Fifteen percent of the youth reported online harassment, and approximately 30 percent reported online interaction with unknown people. According to the youth surveyed, the parents or guardians of more than 90 percent know about their browsing habits. In most cases parents or guardians had talked to their children about internet safety and possible threats. Schools and parents/guardians should ensure that the children are aware of internet dangers, including the dangers of sharing personal information and trusting unknown people online, and regulate their browsing activities.