Implementing and having your kids following a few simple rules can save you from the worry of internet predators violating the safety of your children.
On-line Protection tips for kids
The Internet is a wealth of information for anyone with a computer.
Dangers of cyber-surfing child molesters to con artists can reach our children. You wouldn't let your children go camping, or shopping without some safety rules, so set up some rules for their internet use.
Monitor your children when they're online and monitor the time they spend online. If a child becomes uneasy or defensive when you walk into the room or when you linger, this could be a sign that he or she is up to something unusual or even forbidden
Explain that although a person may be alone in a room using the computer, once they are on the Internet, they are no longer alone. People skilled in computers and the Internet can find out who you are, where you are and can even tap into your computer.
Remind them the best tool they have for screening material found on the Internet is his or her brain. Talk to your children about exploitation, pornography, hate literature, excessive violence, and other issues that concern you, so they know how to respond when they see this material.
Controlling Access
- You can choose a commercial online service that offers parental control features. These features can block content that is not clearly marked as safe for children. Child safe chat rooms, bulletin boards, news groups, and discussion groups, or block access to the Internet entirely.
- You can purchase and install blocking software and design your own online safety system. Most Internet Safety packages can block sites by name, rating or IP address. Search for unacceptable words and block access to sites containing those words. You can block entire categories of material, and prevent your children from giving out personal information.
Two of the best internet safety programs are Cyber Patrol and CYBERsitter- Every tool includes some of the features listed. Decide which features are best for your family. If you still have questions you can ask your ISP or local store which product/service best meets your needs.
- No parental control tool is 100% reliable. Not only do tools inadvertently allow access to some inappropriate material they will block access to information that is extremely helpful. Keep in mind that if your child is computer literate he or she may be able to get around the controls.
- Each parent control tool determines whether a sites content is "inappropriate" or "safe for kids" differently. Make sure you verify what criteria the tool uses and how the evaluation process works. Check out the tool yourself.
- Talk to your Internet Service Provider and let them know what you want and expect from them in keeping kids safe online.
[ Top of Page ]
Parenting Tips
- Keep the computer in family area to better monitor your child's activity.
- Regularly spend time online with your child to learn about his or her interests and activities.
If he or she is savvy with computers let them control the computer while you watch.- Teach your child to end any experience online when he or she feels uncomfortable, threatened or scared by pressing the back key, logging off, and advising a trusted adult as soon as possible.
- Do not criticize your child about their internet experience when he or she feels uncomfortable or has a bad online experience.
This will improve the online trust relationship between you and your child.- Show examples and explain the difference between advertising, educational, interactive and entertainment content.
- Establish strict rules for buying products online. If you supply your child with a credit card, monitor their charges closely.
[ Top of Page ]
Dangers/Risks
- Easy to find sites – sexual content, promoting hatred, bigotry, violence, drugs, cults, and other things not appropriate for children.
- Inaccurate, misleading, and false information.
- Uncontrolled restrictions on marketing products such as alcohol and tobacco to children.
- Marketing sites or ads that deceptively collects personal information from kids in order to sell products to them or their parents.
- Requests for personal information gained when entering contests, completing surveys, site access forms etc. This information is then used in unauthorized ways.
- Easy access to games with excessive violence, language, pornography and racial slanders.
[ Top of Page ]
Get Involved
- Set aside time to explore the World Wide Web with your child. If your child has some computer and web experience, let him or her take the lead. Find and explore the websites built exclusively for children.
- Keep yourself informed about the parental control tools that can help keep your children safe while online.
- Know your child's friends and their parents. If your child's friend has Internet access at home, talk to the parents about the rules they have established. Are the children monitored while online.
[ Top of Page ]
General Rules
- Never give out any personal information, such as their name, age, address, telephone number, passwords, school name, parent's name.
- Always let you know immediately if they find something scary or threatening on the Internet.
- Never agree to meet face to face with someone they've met online.
- Never respond to messages that have bad words or seem scary or just weird.
- Never download anything without asking permission first.
- Never enter an area that charges for services without your permission and verification first.
- Never send a picture of themselves to anyone without your permission and verification first.
[ Top of Page ]
Explain the Positive Benefits of the Internet
- Access educational, cultural and world resources (text, sounds, pictures, and video) that are otherwise unavailable by conventional methods.
- Obtain up-to-the-minute information.
- Improve their ability to understand, evaluate and utilize information found on the internet.
- Stay informed about their community, school, and world events.
- Learn skills that will be useful in future jobs and their chosen career.
- Play fun and educational games.
[ Top of Page ]
How you can Help
- Spend time online with your child. Your involvement in your child's life, including his or her online life, is the best insurance you can have for your child's safety.
- If you see websites or practices you do or do not like, contact your Internet Service Provider or the company that created the material or site. Take advantage of the Internet opportunity to insure that this growing medium develops in a positive way.
- Report suspicious websites to the Cyber Tip Line
- When you come across a site that is inappropriate for children, send the Internet addresses to online services that offer parental control features or to sites advertising protection software to be reviewed for inclusion or exclusion. Even if you don't subscribe to a service or own protection software, you can help protect other children when they are online.
- If your child receives threatening e-mail or pornographic material, save the offensive material and contact that user's Internet service provider and your local law enforcement agency.
- Make sure that Internet access at your child's school is monitored by adults.
- Make sure that your child's school has an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP). This policy should include a list of acceptable and unacceptable activities or resources, consequences for violations, and a place for you and your child to sign.
[ Top of Page ]
Parental Internet Safety Controls
- Blocks access to content, text, and pictures identified as not safe for kids.
- Permits access only to materials specifically approved as Safe for Kids or sites you list as safe.
- Allows you to specify what types of material and sites are appropriate for your children.
- Helps you monitor your child's activity on the Internet by storing names of sites and/or snapshots of material or content viewed by your child on the computer. You can review this information at your convenience.
- Allows you to set different restrictions for each family member.
- Limits results of an Internet search to content and sites deemed Safe for Kids.
- Enforces your pre-set time limits.
Copyright © 2005 - 2008 all rights reserved Eagle Systems, Inc. | Design by Valid Web Designs
Eagle Systems, Inc. PO Box 8053 137 E. Industrial Blvd. Pueblo, CO 81008-8053 719-565-0065