Keeping Your Kids Safe on the Internet
I had one of those worksheets spread on a table, and we went through all of the pictures until we got to the end. The very last picture was of a typewriter, and none of the kids knew what it was. They guessed computer, check-out counter, keyboard and printer before I finally had to explain to them what a typewriter could do.
It occurred to me in that moment that kids are being raised with the newest technology. They are taught early on how to work the CD-Rom, the word processor and even the Internet. They use CD’s instead of cassettes, DVD’s instead of VHS tapes and they play video games that simulate real life. I use all of those things, as well, but I also used to type college papers on my electric typewriter that now collects dust in the garage.
Like any other advancement in the history of the world, these new technological gadgets have both positive and negative effects on the children of today. One of the most crucial areas of worry is the World Wide Web, and the potential dangers that lurk in cyber space.
Thankfully, most retail and commercial websites have privacy policies that protect children, and most legitimate companies agree not to do anything to attract children. However, there are millions of websites that follow no such code of ethics, and those are the places where children must be protected.
If your child has unlimited access to the Internet, you may want to consider one of the parental control software packages that help monitor your child’s usage and block pornographic or unsafe material from search engines and browsers. According to the Internet Filter Review of 2006, the following software was rated highest:
Gold:Content Protect; $34.99
Silver:CYBERsitter; $39.95
Bronze:NetNanny; $39.95
They were rated based on fifty different criteria, including ease of use, chat filtering, e-mail filtering, immediate overriding of blocks, and detailed history reporting.
Sometimes, though, Internet Filter software isn’t enough to protect your kids. They use the Internet at school, at friends’ houses, and at the library, as well. For those times when your filter software cannot protect your kids, they should be knowledgable about what is out there and be prepared to face what they might find. To avoid potential problems, discuss these rules with your children:
1. Never give out your personal information. This includes your name, phone number, address, parents’ names, name of school, city or state in which you live, or any other personally identifiable information.
2. Never talk to people you don’t know. If someone contacts you via e-mail or instant message, ignore it and tell an adult. There are plenty of predators out there who prey on children.
3. Only visit sites that you have been to with parents. If you need help with research, ask an adult to help you search for information. Only visit sites that have been approved by parents or teachers.
4. Avoid posting profile information. If you have an account with AOL, yahoo, hotmail, or any other service that allows you to post a profile, don’t! It can lead to contact from people you don’t know, and it gives away too much information to the public.
5. Never send a picture of yourself on the Internet. If you want to scan a picture to send to relatives, ask an adult to help. If someone asks for a picture, tell an adult.
6. Never agree to meet anyone you talk to online. If you have instant messenger, only talk to friends, and make sure you verify that those friends are people you know from school or church. Never respond to messages from people you don’t know, or agree to meet them in real life.
Following these guidelines will help your children to be safe on the net, and keep you in the loop about what your kids are doing when they have Internet access.
