By Dan Horn
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Kids in Greater Cincinnati use the Internet more than kids almost anywhere else in the country.

A new national survey from Nielsen/NetRatings has found that 24 percent of Internet users here are children or teenagers - the second-highest percentage among major metropolitan areas.

Researchers at Nielsen, the same company that does TV ratings, aren't sure why kids in Cincinnati are more net-savvy than those in other parts of the country.

TOP FIVE MARKETS

Top five major markets for Internet-savvy kids, ages 2-17. Numbers show the percent of total Internet audience that is kids. National average is 21 percent. Salt Lake City - 25 percent Cincinnati - 24 percent Boston - 22 percent Sacramento - 22 percent Phoenix - 22 percent Source: Nielsen/NetRatings, survey of at-home Internet use in September 2003

But they do have some theories: Easy access to high-speed Internet service, more affluent families with computers and an emphasis on new technologies in public and private schools.

"Kids today are extremely savvy," said Dawn Brozek, a senior analyst at Nielsen. "They know how to use a lot of tools on the Internet."

That's hardly a news flash for parents of teens or pre-teens. In many homes, children are now the primary users of the Internet.

"I've had a computer since I was born," said 15-year-old Josh Hill, of Wyoming. "We've just been brought up that way."

Josh said he spends three to four hours a day surfing the Internet. He looks up sports statistics, talks to friends in chat rooms, listens to new music and sometimes even does research for homework assignments.

According to the Nielsen survey, which was conducted last month, Josh is typical of the estimated 27 million American kids between the ages of 2 and 17 who logged onto the Internet from home during the survey period in September.

Those kids represented 21 percent of the nation's total online audience, and they accounted for millions of "hits" at Web sites ranging from People magazine's teen edition to the Disney Channel.

"For this generation of kids, this is just a common, everyday thing," said Josh's mom, Brooke Hill. "They don't even have to think about it."

Dangers abound

While most parents support their children's interest in the latest technology, some also worry about the risks. Surfing the Internet can lead to educational Web sites and harmless chat rooms, but it also can lead to sexual predators and other dangers.

And as more kids use the Internet, experts say it's more important than ever for parents to pay attention to what they're doing.

"The net is like a playground," said Megan Kinnaird, project manager for the Internet Education Foundation in Washington, D.C. "It's very safe if you know the precautions - like not talking to strangers - and it's dangerous if you don't."

The Nielsen survey found that the vast majority of kids spent time on legitimate - if not always educational - Web sites.

Younger kids went to cartoon or toy sites, such as Barbie or Polly Pocket, while older kids spent their time on video game sites and sites dedicated to instant messaging.

Brozek said kids in Cincinnati may hit those sites more than others because they are better equipped to do so.

Families here are slightly more affluent than the national average, and affluence is a factor in Internet access. The availability of high-speed Internet access here is also important because impatient teens are more likely to surf the net if they can do it quickly.

Cincinnati Bell officials say 85 percent of area homes have high-speed access and 30 percent have high-speed service, compared to the national average of 20 percent.

Schools here also have been quick to take advantage of new technology, getting kids interested at an early age. Many districts, including Cincinnati Public Schools, now have computers in every elementary school classroom.

"The youth market in this area is extremely tech savvy," said Jenifer Kues, a Cincinnati Bell spokeswoman.

Josh Hill sees that as a good sign. After all, he said, kids who use computers today for fun and games will someday use them on the job.