Snapshot: Online safety in US homes

A third of US parents are not concerned about their children's online safety, according to a nationwide survey for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The study, conducted by marketing services firm ADVO, Inc., found that 40% of parents (whose children under 18 use the Internet) are "very concerned," 28% "somewhat concerned," but - interestingly - the number of unconcerned parents is up significantly, from 20% to 33% over the past year. Parents have absorbed one cardinal online-safety rule, apparently: More than 80% of households have the connected computer located in a shared space (rather than in child's bedroom or other place where parents are less aware of kids' online activities). For further findings, please click to this week's SafeKids/NetFamilyNewsletter.