INTRODUCTION

NetPARENT is a unique application that was designed to protect our children from harmful content on the internet, by informing the parent(s) of their actions in real-time, creating an effective internet parenting tool.

Recently a BBC documentary was broadcasted on the devastating effect a teenage internet suicide cult in Bridgend, Scotland,  had on its community and in specific, this particular father who had lost his daughter, whose words were, “ Had I only known what she was up to, I might have prevented this “.

Another subject is the effect of pornography on minors. Herewith an extract on STOP:

“We all know that visual images have a powerful influence on children. Until 6 or 7 years they can not differentiate between fact and fantasy. Premature exposure to sex scenes shows children something they have no knowledge of and are unable to conceptualise. Children fantasise and imitate. Five Cape Town children under the age of 12 who have perpetrated abuses against other children are said to have been exposed to an erotic TV series…

A danger of children being exposed to porn at an inappropriate age is that they become prematurely sexualised and that, even though they have not been molested, they can exhibit the symptoms of a sexually abused child (Joan Campbell- M.A. family and Child Therapist in Cape Town)

The alarming increase of child-on-child abuse, with pornography being a causative factor, is confirmed by organisations such as the Teddy Bear Clinic, Gauteng. Luke Lambrecht, Manager, has said that "90% of young sexual offenders (7-14 years) have been exposed to pornography.