Amount of time spent online
The number of hours children and young people spend online can vary significantly between individuals. It can be difficult to identify an appropriate number of hours for online interaction as individual circumstances vary.
Parents and carers should discuss concerns with their child if they consider their child’s internet use is having a negative impact on their academic, social or psychological wellbeing—or that of other members of the family.
Potential warning signs of excessive internet use
Changes in behaviour
Noticeable changes in the online and offline behaviour of children and young people are potential indicators of excessive internet use.
Educators may become aware of the following potential indicators of excessive internet use:
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a student’s online activities interfering with general health and wellbeing, social life, schoolwork and relationships
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a student appearing to spend increasing amounts of time online, possibly spending more lunchtimes in the school library or ICT centre
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a student talking constantly about particular online programs, such as a gaming site
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a student appearing anxious, depressed, or irritable when computer time is shortened or interrupted
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a student seeming isolated or withdrawn from ‘real world’ friends and activities and attributing more importance to their online activities and contacts
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a student’s academic performance appearing to have declined
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parents reporting difficulties keeping their child off the internet. There may be constant arguments about internet access with parents and siblings
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parents reporting that the student has been staying up well into the night or even sneaking out of bed to access the internet.
Some of the indicators listed above may not be due to excessive internet use. They may be developmentally appropriate behaviours for young people, particularly teens, for whom their main connection to friends is the internet; or they may be signs that a young person is experiencing more general social issues. They may also be indicators of other significant issues such as cyberbullying, issues with offline relationships and mental health issues.
Exploring any significant concerns with students and their parents is an important first step towards identifying issues and developing strategies to overcome them.
Physical indicators
There may also be physical indicators of excessive internet use—particularly for heavy online game players or gamers. For example, students may complain of:
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repetitive stress injuries due to excessive use
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dry eyes or strained vision
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back aches and neck aches
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severe headaches
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sleep disturbances
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lack of exercise
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missing meals.
As noted above, these indicators may reflect a number of causes and should be explored with students.