Internet safety for kids and parents is everything you should know about the dangers your kids face - and the Top 10 things to keep them safe.
Peter Chapman, 33 years old, posed as a teenager and became a Facebook friend of teenager Ashleigh Hall. The convicted sex offender then met her off-line and drove her to a motel where he raped and murdered her.All
Internet users, especially minors, must use extreme caution with people
online they do not already truly know and trust offline.
He then used the photos as blackmail, threatening to post them online unless the students had sex with him – which he photographed for further blackmail.
Most kids don't realize that there is no true privacy or Internet safety for kids – and that they can't believe people's true identity.
Many children simply don’t realize that typical adolescent behavior – insults as well as boasts of sex, drinking, and drugs – becomes a permanent public record on the Internet.
The Internet is the future but it frightens many parents who don't understand Internet safety for kids. Yet there are ways to let your kids safely access this amazing tool.
2. Be practical by keeping the computer in a common room so you can see what's going on.
3. Encourage your kids to use modern technology. Ask teachers what they're using in your child's school.
4. Learn it yourself to better guide their choices toward beneficial sites and away from Facebook or Myspace.
5. Use Parental Control tools (see RESOURCES below).
6. Investigate protective software such as Cyberpatrol.com, McAfee, and Norton, but know that using other computers can always sidestep your control.
7. Monitor their cell phones, too, just as you would with a computer. Many children are bullied by text messages or phone calls.
8. Protect your child's privacy by strictly limiting the personal info you make public when signing up to a website. Have your children use aliases, and never reveal too much to strangers online. Facebook, especially, is reckless with user’s personal info.
9. Watch for adult predators. Children can be 'groomed' online by clever adult perverts. Watch for suspicious online behavior.
10. Finally, be realistic. Remember that prohibition won't work. Your children will use computers elsewhere. Teach your children how to benefit – safely – from the Internet.
Yahoo Safety Center: Family has links to seven articles:
• Social Safety Tips for Parents
• Tips For Sharing Safely
• Top 5 Questions Parents Have About Cyberbullying
• Teen Mobile Safety
• Internet Safety Basics and Discussion Starters for Children
• Advice for Kids and Teens on Cyberbullying
• Building a Positive Digital Reputation
MORE RESOURCES
• CyberSitter.com
• iKeepSafe.org
• NetSmartz.org
• SafeKids.com
• SafeTeens.com
Child Safety - Internet Safety for Kids
Cyber Bullying - FAQ
Crime-Safety-Security > Child Safety Overview > Internet Safety for Kids