How To Keep Kids Safe Online

By:Isabelle Knoth and Gia H ill

• Although your children may know more about using a computer and the internet than you do, it’s your responsibility to ensure they're protected from the parts of the web that present a danger to them.

Read more: http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features/security/3411255/how-keep-your-kids-safe-online/#ixzz2nHjbjX1i

Introduction

What Parents Can Do• What Parents Can Do1. Learn about the Internet

If you are just starting out, see what your local library, community center, school or newspaper offers by way of introduction.

2. Get InvolvedSpend time online with your child, whether at home, at the library, or at a

computer center in your community. Your involvement in your child's life, including his or her online life, is the best insurance you can have of your child's safety.

3. Stay InformedKeep yourself informed about the parental control tools that can help you keep your child safe online. This brochure includes an introduction to what currently available tools can and cannot do.

4. Become an Advocate for KidsIf you see material or practices you do or do not like, contact your Internet Service Provider (the company that provides you with a connection to the Internet) or the company that created the material. Take advantage of this unique opportunity to make sure that this growing medium develops in positive ways for kids.

Common Harms In The Internet

• Cyber bullying:Cyberbullying includes sending hateful messages or even death threats to children, spreading lies about them online, making nasty comments on their social networking profiles, or creating a website to bash their looks or reputation

• Sexual predators: The online world opens the door for trusting young people to interact with virtual strangers - even people they'd normally cross the street to avoid in real life. About 1 in 7 kids have been sexually solicited online, says John Shehan, CyberTipline program manager for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Virginia. The CyberTipline helps prevent sexual exploitation of children by reporting cases of kids enticed online to do sexual acts

• Damaged Reputations:Camera phones, digital cameras and web cams are everywhere these days, and kids can be victims of their own inexperience with new technology. Many post pictures, videos or notes online that they later regret. "Think before you post, because once you do, it's going to be up there forever," Shehan says.

“Naughty”

• Do not give out your full name, address, or phone number to anyone online that you don't trust or know in person. This especially important in chatrooms or when negotiating jobs or deals through meet-up sites. Beware of stock letters (i.e. very general response letters that don’t actually address any of the points you’ve made), anyone who wants to negotiate a wire transfer, or anyone who wants to work out a business arrangement while they’re “abroad.”

•Never open e-mail attachments from strangers unless you can trust them and have security settings on your computer. Some junk e-mails may contain viruses or spyware that can harm your computer. These e-mails may be automatically marked as "spam" or "junk," but virus-ridden emails from unwitting friends can also slip through.