Internet saftey for kids
Question:
What steps can I take to ensure my children are safe on the Internet? is a quick fix for this problem?
Answer:
As the internet is now an extremely valuable tool in the lives of adults it is also becoming one of children as well. The difference, children are learning from day one when they're ability to learn is at its finest. With that in mind you have to be aware that kids will learn and learn very quickly. As any parent you most likely teach your kids the same fundamentals that my parents taught me such as never talk to strangers, always ask permission from an adult, don't run with scissors in your hand etc. As an IT company ourselves we know how it is important not only to teach your children those fundamental rules but also rules about internet safety. Below we have listed some things from Advice for parents, from Rob Nickel an OPP officer and author of "Staying Safe in a Wired World: A Parent's Guide to Internet Safety." These steps help combat potential problems as well as ways to prevent them from happening.
1. Make sure your child is not spending all of his or her time on the computer. People not computers should be their friends and companions.
2. Watch your children when they're online and see where they go.
3. Keep the computer in a high traffic area of the home where it can be monitored, like the family room, kitchen or living room, not in your child's bedroom.
4. Learn enough about computers so you can enjoy them together with your kids.
As most of you may already be familiar with the internet, try letting your children help you or maybe even show them a thing or two. Next time you're looking for a new recipe or are interested in a new hobby, have your child show you the best way to search for it. This will help you see how well they're progressing in their computer knowledge as well as allow you to spend time together.
5. Teach them never to meet an online friend offline unless you are with them.
This may sound like common sense but as we watch the news week after week we hear about children meeting with a person they met online as a stranger and have gone missing. Children are very trusting and don't think or better yet know that there are people in this world who will harm them. It is up to you to let them know that they exist. If your child is going to arrange a meeting with anyone it is important that it is very clear that they meet this person with a PARENT not an older adult, a PARENT!
6. Keep kids out of chatrooms unless they are monitored.
This sounds like a definite rule and to a certain extent it is. Chatrooms are not a healthy place for kids as there is a lot of foul language and bullying that can happen. However if your child feels they have to be in them then they should be monitored at all times. Why? Links to inappropriate sites are posted in these chatrooms; Files are traded to occupants that are not only inappropriate but illegal as well. There are certain websites that have monitored chatrooms for children but again these should be approved by the parents. Instant messaging with friends is common for most youths, but the need for chatrooms where many unknown individuals hang out is not a necessity.
7. Encourage discussions between you and your child about what they enjoy online.
Keeping an open line of communication with your children about their likes and dislikes on the internet enhances online activity for the child, and gives you some peace of mind as the parent.
8. Teach them that they should NEVER reveal personal information online (like telephone numbers, address, their full name and school)
No information should ever be given over the internet no matter what. As children get older they will want to have a blog site where they keep a daily journal but for the ones who are very young absolutely no information should be given to anyone at anytime. All a predator needs is a name and that may be enough to access what school they attend, phone number and address. Children must know that this rule must NEVER be abided by.
9. Get to know their "online friends" just as you get to know all of their other friends.
Just as you like to know who your children are hanging out with after school you should also get to know who there friends are online. Ask them to explain who the friends are, where they met and why they are chatting with them.
10. Warn your children that people may not be what they seem to be.
Even though the majority of children on the net have pretended to be someone else, someone older or even a different sex, they seem to think everyone else tells the truth online. As a parent you have to drill into them that a lot of people pretend and are not who they say they are online, even if they know the lingo, or have sent a picture of themselves.
Taking action of these steps will certainly help you help your children as they grow up in a technologically advanced society. The internet is a great tool that must not be taken for granite. For more information about tools and software to protect your child online you should contact your internet service provider.
|
|
