How to Plan to Keep Your Kid Safe Online

The Internet has significantly increased access to information, but not all of it is suitable for children. Discussing online dos and don'ts with your kids helps you stay involved in their interests. Ensure that your child uses the Internet safely, both at home and away.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Set up the computer in a well-trafficked area in the home so you can keep an eye on your child's Internet use.
2. Discuss ground rules for using the Internet, chat rooms and messaging services. Explain to your child that there are strangers online, just as there are in real life, and that he or she should never give out personal information or agree to meet online friends without your permission.
3. Spend time with your kid online. Ask to see some of the sites he or she visits and to tell you about online friends.
4. Encourage use of kid-friendly sites. Directories such as KidsClick.org, Yahooligans.com and Ask Jeeves for Kids (ajkids.com) feature hand-picked safe and age-appropriate sites.
5. Investigate parental-control software, which blocks access to unmonitored chat rooms and sites with sexual or violent content. NetNanny.com and CyberPatrol.com log and restrict Internet activity, and send an immediate e-mail alert if your child tries to give out personal information or receives solicitations.

Tips & Warnings

• Help your kid set up a safe, spam-free e-mail account at sites such as KidChatters.com, KidMail.net and KidSafeMail.com.
• If you agree to meeting an online friend, insist that the meeting take place in a public space and go with your child.
• Ask your child's school, after-school care center or club what filtering software is used and under whose supervision.
• Report any unsolicited explicit material that has been sent to your child at CyberTipLine.com.