More risk-taking at home

More risks online, that is. A new study of youth online behavior found that 51% of US 8-to-18-year-olds say their schools' computer-use rules are tougher than their home rules. "The findings suggest that less rigid supervision at home increases kids' freedom to surf inappropriate Web sites, download digital copyrighted works such as software and music without paying for it, and chat with strangers," said the press release of the Busienss Software Association, which sponsored the survey by Harris Interactive. The BSA also said that "one reason that school computer use is safer than at home is that, at school, children are much more likely to be online with adult supervision." Just 15% of respondents said they are online alone at school, as opposed to 62% at home. In other findings...

* 35% of 8-to-18-year-olds "are more likely to use a home computer rather than a school computer to chat with someone they don't know, divulge personal information online (24%), or go to Web sites they probably shouldn't visit (29%).
* 52% of teens 16-18 have downloaded software and 52% music on their home computers this year, and just over a third of 13-to-15-yearolds have (36% software and 38% music).