Grades 8 and 9 are pivotal years in the online lives of young people. First of all, at this age the number of kids who have their own equipment is reaching critical mass.
- 43 per cent of kids this age have their own computer connected to the Internet.
- 47 per cent have their own MP3 player.
- 25 per cent have their own Webcam.
These percentages are particularly noteworthy because kids who have their own computer spend almost twice as much time online as those who don’t have their own computer.
The daily blend of instant messaging, online music and homework that so defines the online lives of older teenagers is already present in Grades 8-9.
- Around three-quarters of kids this age use instant messaging (77 per cent), download music (78 per cent), do homework (79 per cent) and play online games (72 per cent) on an average school day.
- Although the gender gap still exists at this age, it’s definitely narrowing – especially with respect to instant messaging and online music. The exception is online gaming. Both boys and girls are less interested in online games than younger children are, but the percentage of boys in Grades 8-9 who continue to play games on an average school day levels off at 83, compared with 60 per cent of girls.
Just when kids are beginning to conduct more of their social lives online, the number of house rules governing online behaviour starts to drop off. Parents are also less likely to spend time supervising their kids online or talking to them about their online activities.
However, rules continue to make a difference. Although more kids break the rules as they get older, kids in Grades 8-9 are twice as likely to go to sites that have inappropriate content when there is no house rule against it.
The top five Web sites favoured by this age group are:
- Addicting Games
- Miniclip
- eBaumsworld
- Newgrounds
- Neopets
Edgier sites, like eBaumsworld and Newgrounds, have moved right up into the spotlight.
In addition, a growing number of social networking and dating sites start to populate the list of favourites. The content on these sites is often sexually explicit and can encourage a form of exhibitionism.
- Nexopia (number nine) is a site on which people 14 years and older complete profiles, post pictures of themselves, and then link to the profiles of friends.
- Doyoulookgood is the number one site for Grade 8-11 girls in Quebec. As with Nexopia and other social networking sites, Doyoulookgood enables kids 13 years of age and older to post pictures in their profiles and to network with friends. However, many profiles feature young girls in seductive poses, with suggestive headings. Doyoulookgood also asks visitors to “rate” the pictures on a scale of 1 to 10.
Branded sites, like Neopets (number five) and Candystand (number eight), remain popular with kids in this age group. But more kids (25 per cent) recognize the sales pitch than those in earlier grades.
Kids in this age group are also beginning to venture off the beaten trail. The favourite sites of close to half (48 per cent) don’t make the top 20 list, indicating that kids are increasingly using the Net to explore sites that interest them as individuals.
