Internet Safety Tips

Internet Safety Tips for Parents
Education, supervision and communication are among the most effective tools for parents to help their children avoid the dangers that exist on the Internet. A recent national survey of children online found that one in five (20%) received a sexual solicitation or approach. Seventy percent of online solicitation occurs while on the Internet in the home, while 22 percent happens when the child is at someone else’s home.

Experts offer the following Internet safety tips:
• In your home, place the computer in a visible location to monitor your family’s Internet activity and appropriate uses. Avoid computers in bedrooms.
• Communicate with your family. Let children show you what they can do online and visit their favorite sites. Be an active participant in your child’s online experiences.
• Protect your online privacy: never provide your personal information to strangers. Do not post your photograph online or post a public profile with information such as age, gender, hobbies and interests.
• Making arrangements to meet anyone you have met online is very risky. For example, in chat rooms or on social networking sites such as myspace.com, people often pretend to be someone they are not. Never allow your children to meet anyone they have met online.
• Never respond to e-mail, chat comments, instant messages or newsgroup messages that are inappropriate or make you feel scared, uncomfortable or confused.
• Discuss the importance of reporting anything that makes your child uncomfortable to you or a trusted adult immediately. Report inappropriate online behavior to www.cybertipline.com.
• Consider safeguarding options like content filters and rating systems (e.g. Google Safe Search). Check with your Internet Service Provider on safeguarding options they might offer.
• Be informed, know the dangers and stay up to date on new technology. Be aware that many cell phones also offer Internet access.
• Understand the lingo of Internet chat terms. POS is Parent Over Shoulder and A/S/L? is Age, Sex, Location.

Check out these online Internet Safety resources for parents: www.netsmartz.org, www.isafe.org and www.incredibleinternet.com.