Internet Safety For Kids

Internet safety for kids is a growing concern amongst most parents due to the increased presence of computers in the home and the significant numbers of hours spent by children "surfing" the internet. Whether using the home computer for school research, online gaming, or socialization with their peers, internet safety for children is becoming more and more important. 

Unfortunately for all the good points that can be argued for having children being able to access the internet, it also has a dark, sinister side. This is the part of the "world wide web" that is used by cyberbullies, sexual predators, etc. to try to contact and take advantage of, or exploit, our innocent and often naive children for their own twisted reasons.

While there are types of child internet safety software available, which we will discuss shortly, internet safety for kids must not be left up to the business community. Internet safety for children, and this most certainly includes internet safety for teens as well, is the responsibility of every parent and child in homes where children have internet access. Most schools do have some type of online safety for kids installed as part of their computer network system. (If in doubt, then as a parent, you should ask the school principal.)

There are some common sense steps that everyone can follow to help promote internet safety for kids in the home environment.

Hey Kids!

Keep It Confidential

Do not share any personal information about yourself online! This includes your real name, names of family members, your address, phone number, name of school, pictures of you, or your e-mail address. "Rule of thumb" don't share any information that would allow a person with bad intentions to contact you. Never, never tell anyone your online account password except your parent or guardian. Even a "best friend" could accidentally or on purpose (if you had a fight) give your secret password to the wrong person. Ask a parent before giving out any personal information to enter a website or register a computer product online.

Keep It Real

Do not believe everything people say to you online. Since you cannot see the person chatting with you, they can lie about most anything, including their age, sex, what they do, where they live, etc. Most people are honest, but there are the "creeps" out there who will lie to try to become your friend and find out how to contact you. Avoid opening online messages from someone you do not know as this is a well used trick by cyberbullies and online predators to gain new targets.

Keep It Polite

Do not be rude or use bad language online. Be polite as if you were chatting with the person face to face. If the person starts to make rude or threatening remarks, do NOT respond, as cyberbullies and other creeps want to get a reaction out of you, even a negative response. That is part of their sick game! Immediately end the conversation and don't reply to further comments or e-mails. If possible, block the sender's messages.

Keep It Honest

Do not lie to yourself that it was no big deal. Cyberbullies and other type of online predators,  need to be stopped or they will continue to hurt you and other children. Failing to tell your parents what happened is helping to protect these sick people. If possible, keep a copy of the inappropriate messages, as these will be need to support your claim of being bullied online if you and your parents decide to contact the police, Internet Service Provider, or cell phone company should the bullying continue. Any threats should be taken seriously as these may lead to physical harm should the online predator find out who you are and where you live.

Attention Parents and Guardians!

As parents we cannot rely on children to instinctively recognize and deal with all the issues around internet safety for kids.  Despite the fact that many children are much more computer savvy than their parents, this still does not free the parents of their responsibility to protect them from online dangers. Parents need to learn effective preventative measures to promote online safety for kids such as provided in the following examples:

• Keep any computers in the home in a common area for easy parent monitoring.  If this is not possible or an option, then ensure that your child has a good understanding of what kinds of online activities are appropriate and knows the consequences of breaking your trust in them.
• Make the time to become familiar with the kinds of activities children do online such as visiting websites, posting blog comments, entering chat rooms, etc.
• Learn the "talk" or the language of the Internet, especially the special terminology used in cell phone texting and instant messaging called "netlingo"  (Web sites such as Netlingo.com can provide more information, especially for parents to learn the "talk".)
• Most children, especially older ones, enjoy teaching mom and/or dad something only they know.  Use this fact to encourage your child to teach you about online activities such as "chat rooms", "blog posts", etc.
• Ensure that your child knows that it is not "their fault" if they are harassed or approached to meet with someone they met online, so that they are willing to talk to you if this happens without being in trouble.
• Assure the child that should they be a victim of online harassment or inappropriate behavior, they will NOT lose their computer privileges.
• Discuss what is acceptable and appropriate online behavior.
• Report any online harassment or threats to your local Internet Service Provider, as most do have strict policies about these kinds of behaviors and may be able to find the source of the inappropriate online behavior and take action to prevent it from happening again.

Now we both know that many children, as well as their parents, for a variety of reasons will find it difficult to consistently promote and practice these basic steps to help ensure internet safety for kids in the home.  This is where child internet safety software may be a wise investment if you are a concerned parent.