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Keeping Your Child Safe Online

While the Internet has put a world of great resources at your child’s fingertips, it’s also put porno-spam in kids’ mailboxes and made children vulnerable to predators. One recent study of children ages 10-17 found that 42 percent said they had viewed pornography online in the past year—most of them unwillingly. Another study of students in middle and high school found that 10 percent admitted meeting face-to-face with a stranger they’d met on the Internet.

As a parent or guardian, you play the key role in helping your child make wise choices online. Our tips:

• Set ground rules for their time online. Agree on how much time online is allowed, and what sites are ok to visit. Sample “contracts” are available at sites such as www.safekids.com.
• Remind kids that information they post online can attract predators. Children should have usernames that do not give clues to identity and should not post photos or text that make it easy for strangers to locate them.
• Check out their profile on My Space or other social networking sites. Others are viewing their pages—and you should as well.
• Monitor online activity through a keystroke logging program that keeps track of sites visited and messages exchanged. We suggest you let your child know you’re doing this.
• Use filters that block certain web sites—your Internet Service Provider (ISP) may offer one for free. Note, however, that no filter is 100-percent effective.
• Know the signs that your child may be visiting inappropriate sites or communicating with unsavory people online. Examples: spending lots more time online (especially at night), turning off monitor when you enter the room, inappropriate sites listed in the computer’s history or cache.
• Stress that kids should never agree to meet with someone they’ve met online.
• Talk! Ask your child to show you her favorite web sites, and talk about any concerns you may have about her online activity.
• Report suspicious online activity to your ISP and, if necessary, local law enforcement. For serious breaches, try the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Cyber-tipline at www.cybertipline.com.
   

Want to learn more? These web resources can help:

www.netsmartz.org
A great feature called NetSmartz411 answers all your questions about Internet safety and helps you decipher the latest online lingo.

www.safekids.com
Highlights include a “safe blogging” guide for teens as well as a family contract on safe Internet use that you and your child can sign.

www.isafe.org
Informative interactive modules on Internet safety appropriate for parents, educators, and kids.