Examining the Influence of Parents Versus Peers on Gen Y Internet Ethical Attitudes

Abstract

The Internet has made it easier for consumers to engage in unethical activities such as plagiarism and pornography, while at the same time introducing new unethical activities like illegal downloading music and movies as well as hacking, which cause tremendous damage to companies worldwide. We know that social learning of ethics comes from numerous sources in a child’s upbringing such as, peers, school, religion and culture, but arguably the most dominant source of moral guidance for children is their parents from whom children learn the difference between right and wrong (William 1999). This raises the question of which is most important in shaping young people’s online ethics, parents or peers? And within that, which type of parenting most influences children’s online ethical attitudes?