The best cure is prevention, as they say, and when it comes to the internet no words could be truer. As your children begin to use the internet in their day to day lives, it is so important to not only to understand the ins and outs of internet child safety yourself but to also teach your children about the dangers of the World Wide Web starting from an early age. If you know nothing about the internet, there is no time like the present to get up to speed on how to use it and what potential threats to watch out for when it comes to your children. Here are a few common internet child safety tips to get you started.
Cyber-Bullying
The act of “cyber-bullying” happens when a child is targeted by another child using a form of technology such as a computer or text messaging. The internet is prime territory for cyber-bullying as bullies post hurtful things to websites and use instant messaging as a form of harassment. Talk to your children about being careful about what they say online and what they send in messages to other people. Learn more about cyber-bullying and how to prevent it at: www.StopCyberBullying.org
Social Networking
Social networking sites that you may or may not have heard of include Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, KidSwirl, and many others. These sites allow a user to create a profile, post and view pictures, and engage in online conversations. For a child, this can pose many dangers including talking to strangers and even viewing inappropriate content and images. Sometimes cyber-bullying occurs on these sites, as well. It is important to find out if your children are using these sites and to have access to their profiles in order to monitor them.
Instant Messaging
These days, kids spend hours in instant messaging talking to their friends. Often times, kids will even spend hours talking online via instant messages with complete strangers. This can be a scary thing, as online predators use instant messaging to gather information about their victims. This would be the equivalent to your child picking a name out of the phone book and just calling that person and speaking to them about all kinds of personal things. Instant messaging should be monitored or even blocked to remove the potential threats involved with online chatting.
| |
|
StarReviews Top 3
Internet Security Software |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Parental Control Software
For maximum internet child safety in your home, a quality parental control software program will do the trick. These programs monitor internet usage and block content and images which you deem inappropriate for your child’s age. Many programs have pre-set profile settings for young children, adolescents, teenagers, and adults which have varying levels of internet filtering. Parents can not only block websites which they do not want their children to have access to, but they can monitor all of their children’s online activity and access detailed reports as well.
|