Using the Internet and videogames to harm others... What can be done?

After reading Ms. Byron's report Safer Children in a Digital World in the LTs Online Course, I just confirmed my theory that education is the key to solve the problem of people (especially children) being harmed online. This is a problem that affects us all in many different ways.

On the Internet, everyone is expossed to risks and this is a situation that has gotten worsed nowadays as technology has made it possible to be online almost 24/7. With the arrival of such devices as portable game consoles, computers, cell phones, etc., a higher number of people around the world have the possibility to be online regardless of the place the are and have rapid access to any type of content and info just by doing a click. Children are not an exception; for example, I have students in second grade that have iPods and BlackBerries which let them be online whenever they want. Taking this into consideration, some important questions arise: What can be done to prevent children from having access to unappropriate content? What can be done to keep them away from bullies or stop them from bullying others? How can we monitor children's communications to see if they're chatting with close friends or potentially dangerous strangers?

Well, the answer is very simple: Education! If we do not get educated regarding how to use the Internet and videogames, we will never be able to solve this problem. Bearing this in mind, governments, schools, computer and Internet companies, and families should work together to find the means to educate ourselves and others concerning the safe usage of the net and videogames. However, although this is a shared responsibility, I think that parents at home play, perhaps, the most crucial role for it's them who first have to set the rules and take precautions to protect children in and outside home. Let's not forget that education starts in the family!

In my personal experience, I have seen how the many different values schools teach are then "untaught" at home as parents do not help on this. Take for example the case of a child that is agressive at school, but whose parents buy the newest version of PS2 Mortal Combat for him. What is this parent saying to their kids? What can schools and governments do about this? Think about it and give me your opinions, please.