A recent study on Internet Access and Use by Filipino Schoolchildren showed that almost three-fourths or 74 percent have access to the Internet.

Those living in Metro Manila and the Visayas have greater access than those in the Cordilleras and Mindanao.

The survey conducted by the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication from February to April, 2009, was commissioned by UNICEF and involved grade school pupils 10-12 years old and high school students 13-17 years old as respondents.

The children in both categories use the Internet for e-mail, connecting with friends, participating in e-groups and social networks. Yahoo is the most frequently used email account. The most visited website is Friendster, while Google and Yahoo are the most used for web search. Almost half or 46 percent spend more than P300 monthly for Internet use.

Use of social networking sites (SNS) is the number one online activity as 9 of 10 students who connect to the Net are members of Friendster. Another favorite activity is online gaming with almost 8 of 10 school -children engaged in online games. There is an equal number of male and female Internet users in all the regions except for Mindanao where more girls were found to access the Internet than boys. Compared with their counterparts in the US and other, more developed societies, Filipino children are “late” users, as a majority first used the Internet at age 8-11 years old.

Internet cafes provide the venue for access among 8 of 10 users. This is in contrast with students in the US who do much of their Internet activities at home. Of the 26 percent or one-fourth of schoolchildren which are non-users, most are in the grade school (52 percent). Among the reasons for non-use are “no Internet connection at home or school (58 percent), or “inability to use the computer (51 percent). Non-affordability and parental disapproval (both 26 percent) were also cited as reasons.

Membership in social network sites is highest in Metro Manila (88 percent) for both elementary and high school students. There are more males than females who regularly visit their networks.

Friendster is the most popular because, besides being the first social network, it is also user-friendly.

There are also more grade school pupils than high school students who play online games, and more public school than their counterparts in private schools who engage in online games. Most schoolchildren (3 of 5) go online to chat with friends and relatives. Chatting online is highest in Metro Manila and lowest in Mindanao. Private school students chat more than their counterparts in public schools. Fortunately, most do not chat with strangers. A little over two-thirds (68 percent) of the respondents use Wikipedia for schoolwork. Blogging is not as popular as the other applications, with high school students engaging in this activity more often than those in grade school.

Another study, the 2008 Digital Future Project at the University of Southern California, complements the AIJC findings with these observations: While parents have positive views about the uses of Internet, they express fears about “online predators,” discomfort over their children participating in online communities, and are not quite certain whether the Internet actually improves their children’s school performance. It showed that an average of 15.3 hours a week is devoted to online activities. 80 percent of Internet users age 17 and older consider Internet to be the most important source of information, higher than television, radio, and newspapers. And it also came out with these positive trends – that those who use the Internet spend less time watching TV but devote more time reading newspapers, magazines, and books, or playing outdoors, and working on arts and crafts. The AIJC study suggests policy and action programs to promote Internet access while protecting the safety and security of young users. Laws on anti-child pornography, children’s online privacy protection, and upgrading of the media literacy of parents and teachers are also recommended. My e-mail is florangel.braid@gmail.com