Safety
tips for parents
for
their kids surfing the web.
Since
there's no way to childproof the Internet, children are always at risk
of stumbling across Web sites that are in- appropriate for their age
group.
There's
also the risk of meeting a stranger online or worse, giving out private
information that could lead to trouble for the whole family.
Children aren't always aware of the dangers they face, but parents can
help by teaching them what's safe and what's not.
Tip
1: Spend time with your child online. While you can't always be
with your children, it's important to sit down with them when you can
to see what they're doing and learning online. It's also an opportunity
for you to lean about the Internet. Parents or a responsible adult should
also be around when kids surf, incase they come across questionable
sites.
Tip 2: Teach your children to never give out personal information,
especially their last name, phone number, address or school they attend,
to people they meet online or in chat rooms, without talking to you
first. If your child's picture appears on a Web site, make sure there's
no personal information that goes along with it.
Tip3: Children should never meet with online acquaintances alone.
They should also be taught to tell their parents or a responsible adult
if someone they meet online wants to get together offline. If parents
feel a meeting is safe, they should still tag along.
Tip 4: Tell your child not to respond to offensive or dangerous
e-mail, chat, or other communications. Let your child know you want
to see anything they receive that makes them uncomfortable.
Tip 5: Contact authorities if you feel your child is in danger.
If you believe someone your child met online poses a threat to his or
her safety, don't hesitate to call the police.
Tip 6: Have a meeting with your kids to discuss wht the family
rules are for internet use. Some parents have their children sign an
agreement that lets them know what's allowed and what to watch out for
while surfing. This agreement can be posted near the computer as a reminder
of the agreement. Filtering software is recommended to help you ensure
your child's experience online is safe and decent.
Tip 7: Set time limits for Internet use. You may not want your
children on the intenet when you are not home or are unable to supervise.
Make sure your kids know and understand the time limitations you set.
Some software tools allow you to preset limits on how much time or what
time of day your child spends online.
For
more information visit the following websites...
Parents Guide to the Internet
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/internet/
Get Net Wise
http://www.getnetwise.com
www.yahooligans.com
www.childrenspartnership.org
www.fbi.gov
http://family.go.com
