As kids spend more time online chatting with friends or researching homework, parents are questioning how the Internet is affecting children's lives, a recent study shows. From 2006 to 2007, the number of parents who think the Internet beneficial to their children declined, according to the study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project. But parents don' t see it as a bad influence, either. Amanda Lenhart, a senior researcher said, "Technology is not so magic as to make your child get straight A and improve all aspects of your life. As you grow to know it, you realize its power and disadvantages." But as with the emergence of television in American homes in the 1950s and 1960s, the Internet continues to cause strong reactions from parents. "There's too much garbage online for kids," said Patrick Thomas as he picked up his 15-year-old son from school. "It's like a kid walking down the street. He's got to watch out. He never knows who he might come across." Thomas used to have Internet service at home but got rid of it a year ago because he was worried about viruses infecting his computer and strangers taking advantage of his son Zachary. He has purchased a series of educational software to help him with his schoolwork. "It was a great place to explore, and the information you gathered was great," Zachary said. "Now it's dangerous." But Zachary Thomas still sees benefits from going online and says he can do it at the library or at school. "It can be a good thing for kids," Zachary said. But he wasn't upset when his father pulled the plug  . Zachary's attitude to the Internet is in line with the study's findings, confirming that teens, who have never known a world without online access, generally have a more positive view of the Internet than their parents. More parents are getting online themselves, making them know about their children's online activities, Lenhart said. But that doesn't mean they understand everything. It also doesn't mean they needn't monitor the websites their children visit or set limits on the amount of time they spend online.  "I'm still trying to figure out the role of it," said John Horgan, whose daughters are 11, 12 and 15. "If their grades were to go down, that would be it." The majority of parents surveyed by the Pew Internet & American Life Project said the Internet is a positive influence in their children's lives. What would John Horgan probably do if his daughters failed in exams?
He would offer to help them with their schoolwork. He would start getting access to the Internet directly. He would not monitor the websites his daughters visit. He would limit the time his daughters spend on the Internet.