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Courtney Weatherburne reporting
For most working adults, browsing the internet is about staying informed and connected whether that's checking the current news on Facebook, reading up on Twitter feeds, or researching for work and business.

Clevand Thomas, International Telecommunications Union, Caribbean Area Rep.
"We all recognize the importance and the benefits of using technology and the internet, economic, social or otherwise. We've seen many countries using technology for development throughout the Caribbean region, Belize no exception, recognized in the ICT as a key pillar for development."

But behind the great rewards of the internet, there is an underworld, a dark virtual portal that many explore. It's a world of secrets and sex. Millions of nude pictures and sex videos are sent, shared and viewed over the internet and thousands of explicit conversations are conducted on various social media. And frighteningly, kinds are among those navigating this minefield of objectionable content. That topic was addressed at today's Cyber Security Workshop at St. Catherine's Academy.

Clevand Thomas, International Telecommunications Union, Caribbean Area Rep.
"The reports we understand is that there's an exchange of inappropriate material with students. There's inappropriate content and there's a need perhaps to have a discussion, build awareness and find ways in which you can deal with some of that. It's not unique to Belize, a number of countries in the Caribbean and the rest of the world have been challenged with what do you do with our students knowing that there is a problem?"

A major part of that problem is freedom, most of these kids from as early as age 7 have unrestricted and unregulated access to the internet and already have Facebook accounts. Thomas says this is where the parents have to step in.

Clevand Thomas, International Telecommunications Union, Caribbean Area Rep
"Today for instance you have parents giving examples where their children are staying up late in the night. Their staying up after 12, 1 o'clock, midnight, they say that they are going to sleep and only when they wake up they realize that these kids are there. Some even give example that they believe that their children are addicted to the technology. Some kids even share that they've been using or sharing their information with other people that are strangers to them and more. We heard the incident today where a young girl is saying that within schools while classes are going on at times, unfortunately, you have situations where the youths are visiting pornographic sites. Girls are a part of it as much as boys. We have a lot of acceptable guidelines of the do's and the don'ts, a simple thing a parent can do it to have computer placed on a public part of your home. Don't leave your child to have access to a computer in their room or even a phone in their room without them being supervised, especially sensitive to the age of the child. You have cases where you have children who are 7 and 10 years that have access on smart phones. They have access to the world and most parents unfortunately believe that when a child is in the confines of the home that they are protected not realizing that even though you are in the confines of your home, you have access to the world through the internet."

And it was definitely a wakeup call for parents who have been taking the effects of their kids internet use for granted.

Dianne Flores, Parent
"It opened my eyes to a lot of new information about some of the stuff that our kids are doing and we're not aware of. I Think I've been a little bit relaxed and just left my child to go on the internet and do what he wants. So now I'm going to be a little bit more active and conscious of what he's doing, how much time he spends on the internet."

Monica Musa, Vice President, Parent Support Group
"As parents we still need to be safeguarded in what are the constraints we need to put in place as rules in your home as to how you manage certain technological gadgets such as time that their allowed to be on it, what all they can utilize. we all have to understand that our kids will be attracted to all this technological based gadgets and it's what we let them be aware of how to use, utilize and how not to utilize it. It can be good and bad in many ways."

And 15 year old Khalil Mena knows all too well about the good and bad benefits of the World Wide Web. Facebook was taking over his life until he says his parents saved him.

Khalil Mena, Delille Academy
"I like my phone, I like technology, I'm always on YouTube or Facebook but sometimes I find it to be a distraction because Facebook stops me from doing my homework and other things that needs to be done around the house. What my parents did was limit the hours that I spend on those things and right now it is helping me."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Talk to us about that, your personal experience and how it was for you before your parents stepped in and enforce those restrictions, how was it for you?"

Khalil Mena, Delille Academy
"Personally, I'm a very rugged person as a high class person and I spend most of my time posting on Facebook, commenting, doing different stuff and meeting new people."

Courtney Weatherburne
"How long on average would you spend on Facebook?"

Kahlil Mena, Delille Academy
"Sometimes if I don't have anything to do, maybe the whole day."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Do you get up to eat and drink water, or sometimes you would sit through it, as you said, for the entire day?"

Kahlil Mena, Delille Academy
"Sometimes if I would do eat, I would hurry just to try and hurry check my Facebook, to see messages that is coming in, I would hurry eat. Things that I would do, like chores, I would do it quickly and I wouldn't be able to do it good."

Anna Hoare, Parent
"One of the main issues really is about safety of our children and I think sometimes out teenagers don't recognized some actions they take, some behaviors they have are not safe such as posting personal information that becomes accessible to people all over."

The workshop began yesterday with a session for principals and it ended today with parents and counselors. A policy will be drafted along with the Ministry of Education to address Cyber threats in schools.