TIPS
FOR PARENTS
1.
Keep the computer in a central location in your home.
Never allow a child to have a computer in their room.
2.
Use parental controls and research to find the best
and most current blocking software.
3. Have
your child's password and explain why you want it. Let your
child know that you will have access to his or her account
and that you will use it from time to time to make sure they
are safe.
4.
Go online with your children and have them show you how
they find their way around.
5.
Learn your own way around the Internet, especially ways to
monitor what your children are doing online, i.e. to check
the sites they've been on.
6.
Don't limit your research to what's available to your child
from only your home computer. Find out what is going
on outside of your areas of control. i.e. school, library,
friends’ homes.
7.
Tell your child never to give out any identifying
information to strangers. Make sure they know that
anyone they do not know personally offline should be
considered a stranger online.
8.
Tell them that if a stranger sends them an instant
message, they should ignore it. If it is something
inappropriate, they should use whatever means they have to
report the person to the ISP. If they receive an email from
a stranger, they should delete it without reading it.
9.
Let your child know that even the simplest piece of
information could lead an Internet predator to them, i.e.
sports team name, uniform number, name of school, favorite
hangout.
10.
Make sure your child never posts his or her picture online.
11. Let
your child know that if they tell you about something bad
that happened to them online, you will not take away
their computer. However, you will do what you can to
protect them from having it happen again. i.e. change their
screen name, change ISP providers, report the offender.
The
key is communication. Educate your children about
online dangers and encourage them to trust you with
anything that is happening that makes them uncomfortable.
Make sure they know that it is never their fault if an adult
tries to hurt them or manipulates them into making an unwise
choice!
For preview of WE
TV documentary - click link below
Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5oYisN-DFk
PR Newswire Release - click link
below
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