How Do You Keep Your Child Safe Online?

There is a whole new world for kids - and for you as a parent. The online world offers children experiences that are both educational and rewarding; however, the Internet can also present unsafe situations. If your child is planning or currently using the Internet there are few safety tips you as a parent should take.

What Can Parents Do?

Learn About The Internet. If you are just starting out, you might want to go research what is available in the "Internet" world at the library, schools, or even at a computer store.

Get Involved. Spend time online with your child. Your involvement in your child's life, including his or her use of the Internet, is the best insurance you can have of your child's safety.

Stay Informed. Keep yourself informed about the parental control tools that can help you keep your child safe on the Internet, as well as the increasing types of dangers and risks for children and young people.

Become An Advocate For Kids. If you see material or practices you do or do not like, contact your Internet Service Provider (the company that provides you with a connection to the Internet) or the company that created the material.

The Internet poses new challenges for parents because, unlike television, radio, and videos, the Internet:

• Is interactive - your child can interact with anyone else online from your home or school.
• It allows any user, anywhere, to post any information, including materials that are inaccurate, misleading and inappropriate for children.
• It provides no restrictions on advertising to children.
• It is not always anonymous - even when you might think it is.

E-Mail

E-mail is the most popular application on the Internet. It allows your child to communicate with other people from anywhere in the world. E-mail can keep you in touch with teachers, family and friends; get help with homework; establish mentoring relationships; practice and improve writing skills, and make world-wide pen pals.

Here are a few steps to protect your child on the Internet.

• Share your child's email account and password.
• Talk with your child about the people he or she is meeting online.
• Set a rule that your child never arranges an in-person meeting without you present.
• Complain to the sender of unsolicited email and to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) about unwanted email.
• Special parental control tools have been developed. These tools, although not perfect by any means, will allow you to:

• Route your child's email first to your account.
• Reject email from specific email addresses.
• Limit email with offensive language and personal information from being sent and received.