The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) recently released "Connected to the Future: A Report on Children's Internet Use" (http://www.cpb.org/ed/resources/connected/) a detailed account of internet use by children during the year 2002.  According to the report, parents have played an important role in promoting internet use among children between the ages of 2 and 17.  An overwhelming number of parents surveyed believed that the internet was an important educational tool for children.
 
While demonstrating an increase of nearly 100 percent in internet use among low-income children since the year 2000, the report also highlights continuing disparities in internet use for children from low-income homes.  Discrepancies in internet use between Caucasian, African-American and Hispanic children are also revealed.
 
The use of digital media such as the internet and other non-internet computer activities, such as video games, is now almost equal to the amount of time children watch television.  As indicated in the report, teenagers spend less time watching television and more time engaging in digital activities.
 
The most encouraging account of this new study is that educational activities are among the top reasons children use the internet.  The report articulates a need for continued efforts to ensure that all children and adults have the necessary resources to keep up with their peers.