Keeping Kids Safe Online
To a kid, the internet is a world full of wonder, but threats lurk everywhere. You might be savvy and knowledgeable, but is your child? Protecting your child on the internet might seem like an overwhelming task, but it is manageable. Here are the top ten ways to make sure your child is safe online.
- Let software do the heavy lifting: programs like Net Nanny for Windows or Safe Eyes 5.0 for Mac or Windows provide a serious level of control and protection and are a must if your kids are on line.
- Educate yourself! Resources for parents online, like NetSmartz, are trusted sources on internet child safety.
- Start a dialogue today with your child about the benefits and risks of the internet.
- Instruct your child to never give out any personal information online.
- Supervise their email account creation and set security settings to the highest rating.
- Use kid friendly search engines like Ask Jeeves for Kids or KidsClick!
- Encourage your child to come to you if they come across something troubling: assure them that they will not get in trouble for doing so.
- If they are part of a social networking site (MySpace, Facebook etc.), make sure their privacy settings are on high.
- Ask for passwords into their accounts and check the content periodically. Its your responsibility as a parent.
- Chat rooms are some of the most dangerous places on the web; make sure the ones your child uses are kid safe.
LucyClaire Curran