Kaspersky identifies categories of undesireble sites

Every year, more and more children go online. Most parents are perfectly aware that there are sites that contain pornography, show images of violence, promote drug-taking, and show other undesirable content. However, not every parent can imagine which particular categories of such undesirable sites children tend to visit most, or how often. So Kaspersky Lab has decided to find out by analyzing the Internet search patterns of young users.

Anna Larkina, Senior Web Content Analyst, Kaspersky Lab, said, “Besides unwanted content, the Internet brings with it other dangers no less damaging for children, for example cyber-bullying or cyber-trolling. Aggressors can exploit all possible channels of online interaction – including social networks, forums, chats and messengers – which when used together can cause victims untold mental suffering. Technically, the fight against cyber-trolling is not so simple, so Parental Control is not so effective against it. As a rule, children are not able to cope with aggressors on their own. Therefore, parents have an important role to play in the protection of children from cyber-bullying. Ideally, parents need to pay attention to their children’s Internet activity.”

Ten categories of undesirable website content were chosen for the investigation, as follows: pornography and erotica, illegal software, narcotics, cruelty and violence, strong language, weapons, gambling, anonymous proxy servers, payment systems, and online games.

The highest percentages of visits to sites with pornographic/erotic content were in Japan (74.9%) and in France (68.9%). Number three was Mexico (56.3%).

Sites belonging to the category of “cruelty and violence” are visited most often in Mexico (8.6%) and the USA (7%), and in Europe – specifically in the UK and Spain (both 4.8%). Based on Parental Control statistics, the popularity of sites in this category is relatively low.

Sites in the “narcotics” category, like those in the “cruelty and violence” category, are visited most often in Mexico (1.8%) and the USA (1.4%). In third place comes the UK (0.9%). Illegal software is especially popular in China, and so in this country this category is way in front from the rest (69.4%, against the 24% of the nearest “competitor” – Spain, and the 10.6% of Japan).