The global study, we were told, was conducted for nearly a year beginning February last year. The study tracked nearly 15 million global searches on sites like Youtube, Wikipedia and Google.

That “sex’’ is the fourth most searched word among teens and tweens when they go online is not a surprise at all, but nevertheless cause for concern.

It was not supposed to jolt us but it did. Somehow the results were already expected, but given our penchant for denial, it still came as a shock.

The topic crops up time and again when parents attend Anak TV’s forums and symposia nationwide. The computer and video games, being outside our purview, are not as thoroughly discussed as television is. TV is more widely available than the computer. To a large number of Filipino kids, some pocket money is necessary to go online. The fact that a certain degree of hindrance is presented by computer usage makes it less a risk than television is. With the gradual migration from television to cyberspace, however, Anak TV may begin scrutinizing the internet about five years down the road.

MTRCB has a fair amount of control over what is broadcast on television. However, no government body oversees what is presented on computer screens. That is worrisome. As the entire world gets wired, more and more kids are becoming tech savvy and a growing number of children under eight are already exploring this relatively new medium in wild abandon.

The study also found that “porn” was among the most searched term by children aged seven and under!

This raises alarm because obviously, exposure to sexually graphic content at a tender age may bring detrimental effects on a child’s development, not to mention the shaping of a healthy perception about sex later in adult life. While these kids may not be seeking sexual gratification, they may be learning about sex erroneously. When viewing porn, who are to tell them what is reality and what is fantasy? The more sexually curious among kids could end up experimenting with sex early. Teens may also end up trying the acts seen in pornographic sites and regard sexually deviant acts and promiscuity as normal and acceptable. The fear is that if kids do experimentation frequently, addiction to sex will not be a remote possibility.

Sex education

This brings to mind the raging debate about introducing sex education in the elementary grades.

When children of this century are exposed to matters about sex from all the scenes they view on television, and from free wheeling discussion they overhear, curiosity is peaked. When parents and adults are more often absent from home these days, these same kids become uncomfortable when taking up the topic with them. In the end, they resort to getting information elsewhere. The internet becomes a palatable and convenient source.

There is now more reason for parents and teachers to talk openly but intelligently to children about sex before they learn about it the perilous and clandestine way.

As early as now, education officials, the church and parents should consider promoting the use of software to filter websites with adult content. Anak TV encourages parents not to install TV sets in the rooms of children, preferring that the appliance be put where adults can monitor what kids are viewing.

By the same token, it also makes sense to have the computers set up where adults can view what kids are surfing.