Don't tell the kids, but the Internet may be good for them. Children who spent time on the web had higher grade point averages and scored better on standardized tests than other children, according to researchers at Michigan State University. What's more, looking at a computer screen had no impact--either negative or positive--on adult's social lives and well-being.
After just one year of online access, children performed better in school than kids who did not have web access. "Whether the children are seeking information for schoolwork, personal interests or hobbies," explains Linda Jackson, the lead investigator in the three-year study, "the heavily text-based nature of the web means that children who spend more time online are spending more time reading."
Contrary to many reports that associate web-surfing with social pathology, Jackson found that spending time online was not bad for parents, either. Those who went online at home suffered "no social or psychological impact," says Jackson. They "did not spend less time with family and friends, talking on the phone or participating in community activities."
