THE school holidays are now in full swing. For many children, more time at home means more time spent on Facebook and MySpace, chatting online and downloading music, or playing interactive games.

The Internet has tremendous potential to achieve greater social equality and empowerment and improve everyday life.

Some spend long hours in cyberspace. Others stay even longer.

Parents are naturally worried about this apparent “addiction” to the Internet. For many of them who grew up before the Internet era, when school holidays meant spending more time outdoors with friends and having fun, there’s something unhealthy about their children’s vocation. They worry that the Internet might do more harm than good. That their Web-savvy children will be less inclined to read, have poor communications skills, socially inept and indifferent to the needs of others.

Some parents really worry a little too much. Indeed, there’s no hard evidence to support such claims. On the contrary, many studies have found that children’s online interactions outweigh the potential dangers.

A research done by Telenor Research & Innovation Centre Asia Pacific (Tricap), for one, showed that for Malaysian youngsters who tend to be homebodies, mobile communications and digital communities are the answer to socialising from home. And they use every communications platform available ranging from e-mail, IM, mobile phones to digital communities.

Teenagers can find support from online peer groups, explore questions of identity, get help with homework, and ask questions about sensitive issues they might be afraid to ask face-to-face. Through this type of communication, they can develop their skills in understanding issues from the perspective of others as well as hone their critical thinking and argumentation skills.

In his new book Grown Up Digital, renowned author Don Tapscott portrays the Net generation as an entertaining, optimistic and convincing lot. Based on his observation and study, Tapscott concludes that these Net Geners are smart and well-equipped to face the challenges of the modern world. Their ability to think certainly does not diminish through constant text messaging, video gaming and social networking.

In fact, Net manoeuvring, communications and exploration empower young people in developing their own views and opinions and also in making choices and decisions that shape their future. A point in case is the recent US presidential elections which saw the Internet being a critical element in drumming up the support among the younger Americans for Barack Obama, contributing to his victory.

Parents and guardians should take a more positive view and leverage on the Internet to develop their children’s digital expertise. At the same time, they need to instil awareness on the dangers posed by online sexual predators and other “scavengers” roaming the Internet.

Constant monitoring of children’s Net activities and words of advice will be more effective to win their trust over, than an outright ban or censorship.

The Internet has tremendous potential to achieve greater social equity and empowerment and improve everyday life. But while there is a positive side to the Net, there will always be the negative as well and it is something we all have to learn to deal with.

Therefore, the development of Net skills and expertise among the young must be encouraged with care and not denied.