Kids look for suicide information on Internet

Lucknow: English medium schools in Lucknow have started the process of sensitizing parents regarding the usage of smartphones and internet by their children since an increasing number of children have been found to be surfing suicide sites.

The move comes after a class 9 student of the La Martiniere Boys School committed suicide by jumping off the school building earlier this month, and a scrutiny of his smartphone revealed that he closely followed a Japanese comic series Death Note that has acquired a cult status among users.

Principals of leading schools are now holding interactive sessions with parents to warn them about the dangers in the virtual world and also how to keep a check on the child’s internet activities. According to a teacher, students in English medium school tend to spend more hours on the net.

Dr Rakesh Kumar, a psychiatrist, said, “Some children spend hours in the virtual world as it gives them the freedom to live in a fictional or fantasy world and keep a side of their personality hidden from everyone”.

The doctor revealed that a leading school recently asked cyber experts to make a random check of the browsing history of class 8 students in the school computer room. “The result was shocking. Eleven students had been regularly visiting sites to see methods of committing suicide. Nine had done considerable research on sites related to supernatural and life after death. Twelve students had been regularly visiting pornographic sites. This is abnormal for 14 and 15 year olds who should be spending free time in sports and other activities,” the doctor said.