BY JACK WELCH

When considering the general understanding we have of the internet, that even for groups who have little practice in its basic workings, it is probable that most would say its size is probably only equal to that of the human population worldwide.

More imaginable too is that it can easily overtake that number without harming the outside environment itself.

For children and young people, it is time to accept that the world they grow up in will almost certainly be a digital one and education in schools will rely on this resource that will shape the world in future years.

In a new study by England’s children’s commissioner of children aged between four and 17, those who were aged between 12 and 15 spent at least 20 hours online a week.

The trouble is parents and young people cannot always manage the content they are subject to.

One of the immediate problems is how schools themselves, not just parents, prepare for the more complex social factors that are influencing the lives of teenagers across the UK.

The Growing Up Digital report itself calls for ‘Digital Citizenship’ to be integrated as part of the school curriculum, which in regards to social media is an ordinary part of a teenager’s life.

Surely it is common sense to make this learning a fundamental part of education.

Parents themselves are much more aware of protecting their children online, with an Ofcom report identifying 58 per cent of parents with children aged five to 15 stating they were informed about filters, but just over a third use them.

While schools need to provide the tools, parents need to be ready to have open conversations on boundaries they are prepared to set. It is no good ignoring the facts now – the digital landscape is all our responsibility.