As children spend more and more time on the Internet, it is imperative parents are well-informed and up-to-date when it comes to online safety awareness.
It's summer vacation. The kids are home, and more than likely, spending more time on the Internet than perhaps they normally do.
In honor of National Internet Safety Month, please review the following basic parental tips and discuss them with your children.
- Do not allow computers in children's bedrooms. Instead, keep computers in an open area of the home.
- Keep in mind, personal computers and laptops are not the only electronic devices capable of connecting to the Internet.
- Many people are unaware that some gaming devices can connect to the Internet from various public locations, such as McDonald's. Your child could be talking to a stranger, instead of gaming.
- Is there a webcam attached to the computer?
- DO NOT solely rely on parental controls.
- Remind children to never post personal information (such as their full name, social security number, home address, location, email address, school name, phone number, date of birth, or real age) online.
- Stress to children, personal information must remain PRIVATE.
- Passwords should not be shared with anyone, including friends.
- Learn the children's passwords, accounts and email addresses
- Use a nondescript, gender-neutral screen or user name such as Table01 or Internet 5 when using a social networking site or chatting online.
- If the child does choose to use a photograph, blur or morph it before posting.
- Restrict access to social networking profiles, using privacy settings, talking only to people known in real life.
- Register for an account on MySpace, or other social networking site, to get an accurate "feel" of the site the children visit.
- Remember, what is published or said online today, may come back to haunt the writer tomorrow.
- Many employers now check social networking sites before hiring
- Use “netiquette”, or online etiquette. Do not say things on the Internet that would not be said to someone in person. Remember the Golden Rule.
- Never accept unsolicited email, files, photographs, videos or attachments from online strangers.
- When it comes to questionnaires or surveys, parental permission must be given first. prior to completion.
- Is the child allowed to purchase items online?
- If a child is a victim of cyberbullying or cyber stalking, or knows someone who has been targeted, stress to children to TELL a trusted adult. Many children, if victimized, do not tell an adult.
- Stress to the children if something online makes them feel scared, uncomfortable or worried, immediately tell a trusted adult.
- Frequently Google children
- Go online with the children
- Talk, and LISTEN, to the children
- Always remember- THE BEST PARENTAL CONTROL IS YOU!
iSafe.org, a leading online safety organization, has created a unique blue ribbon to bring awareness to National Internet Safety Month and is asking people with websites or blogs, to download the free ribbon and place it on their website.
Copyright Jace Shoemaker-Galloway. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.
Jace Shoemaker-Galloway - +JaceShoemaker-Galloway is more than passionate about online safety awareness. She has devoted and dedicated over five years to Internet ...
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