Beware of the hidden on-line threat, Statistics Abuse

“one in five youths (between ages 10 and 17) ‘received a sexual solicitation or approach [over the internet] in the past year.’ And ‘one in seventeen [youths] were threatened or harassed’ online.” Adelman (2000)

I despise scare tactics such as these whether in the news, advertisements, or in this case, an academic periodical. At first glance one would be frightened, upset, or even enraged by these numbers. However, when one applies a bit of logic and math, one can see clearly how this quote is designed to elicit those emotions, and may not be as factual as it appears to be upon first glance. What Adelman fails to mention is: “According to the study, 48 percent of youths under the age of 18 were the perpetrators of the sexual solicitations. In addition, 19 percent of sexual requests came from females, showing that not all sexual solicitors on the Internet fit the media stereotype of an older, male predator.” (Mariano 2000)

“90% of all statistics can be made to show whatever you want - 50% of the time.” – Direct TV ad. Where this particular quote may only be 66% true to life, clearly this is exactly what Adelman was going for by starting out her article with this horrifying statistic. By using numbers from other sources like the article from Mason & Dodds (2005) stating “two-thirds of white children have gone online, just 45%, of black children and 37% of Hispanic” can we really believe that with at most 2/3rds of students online that 1/5 (20%) of all students have been solicited sexually on-line, as Adelman would have us believe?

As pointed out by Marinao (2000) a major discrepancy with this statistic is that it doesn’t account for age grouping by the solicitors. We adults immediately react to Adelman’s quote and assume that these solicitations are all made by adult predators, when in fact, the virtually half of these solicitations are actually made by the student’s peers. But of course, more accurate statistics in this instance lack teeth, complicate the thought process, and invariably lessen or deaden any emotional reaction to the statement.

By applying Adelman’s tactics and Aristotelian logic, one can come to another startling problem which faces educators today. “The number of Elvis Presley impersonators has reached an all-time record high - there are now at least 85,000 Elvis’s around the world, compared to only 170” at the time of his death (Naked Scientist 2000). At that rate of increase, everyone will become an Elvis impersonator by 2054. Currently, this trend suggests that by 2019, one third of the population will have transformed into Elvis impersonators. Therefore it is only logical to conclude that we should be incorporating more Elvis into our education system, as this is a worldwide phenomenon, and we must keep pace with the rest of the planet so our kids do not fall behind in their knowledge of the king.

Despite these facts, I am unaware of any huge sales bumps in blue suede shoes. So before we get all shook up and send more individuals to the jailhouse, rock solid evidence must be collected and presented. It is important to remember we must engage in a little less conversation and take more action and stop, look, and listen to the statistics clearly. Sure, there are countless instances of inappropriate behavior online: individuals requesting someone “love me tender;” or offering: “a teddy bear or a big hunk o’ love;” or scheming to meet at the “Heartbreak Hotel, somewhere in the ghetto.” There are still plenty of teenaged youths who also brag about being “a hound dog” as they have for decades, now just on a digital forum. Yes, we must teach our children online safety, and when to say to someone “don’t be cruel.” That’s all right mama, because there are plenty of security software and protocols available to help parents and teachers protect children.

Despite the fact that her particular article suffers early on from over dramatization, television style sensationalism, and perhaps Pythonesque logic (from Monty Python and the Holy Grail) it does contain some valuable tools and strategies to help teach online safety to kids. Of course, I would have thought that without the obvious abuse of scare tactics Adelman attempted to use. Well, I’m at least 47% sure I’d have thought that.

Resources

Adelman, H. (2004). Teaching online safety. Voices From the Middle, 11(3), 17-22.

Mariano, Gwendolyn (2000) Cnet.com, Children frequently exposed to online solicitations, study finds
http://news.cnet.com/Children-frequently-exposed-to-online-solicitations,-study-finds/2100-1023_3-241672.html

Mason, C. Y., & Dodds, R. (2005). Bridge the digital divide for educational equity. The Education Digest, 70(9), 25-27.

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/shows/2000.12.03.htm