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1- Buy all the safety programs you need. Just as you
protect your home with locks and security systems you need to protect your
computer as well.
2- Set rules about online safety including family
values.
3- Decide what information your child will make
public online. - Stay safe by connecting with only people that you or your
family knows. - Don't post anything in public places that can identify you or
your family. - Blogs, journals, job hunt sites, online
ads, my space, face book, ICQ, Yahoo and White Pages are all places where
your personal information is stored and anyone can see it. example-
Name, Location, Birth Date, Gender Email Address, School
Name, Photos, Cell Phone Number, Instant Messaging Id
4- Don't open emails from people you don't know. You
can transmit viruses and spyware to your computer.
5- Decide where to place your family computer. In a
family room, watch over your children when they use it or when using online game
consoles. examples- X-Box, WII, I Phone, I Touch, Cell Phones
6- Never meet anyone from the internet. If you do,
make sure you take someone with you and the meeting is in a public place. You
never know who is on the other end of the computer.
7- Find out where to report abuse and have an action
plan in case you need it. Explain to your child what abuse is and that they
should tell you about anything that doesn't feel right or upsets them from
someone online.
8- Don't download freebies. Mostly they have spyware
or viruses. And some are illegal. example-Music Sharing Software
9- Talk to your child's friends parents and make
them aware of your families rules about online safety.
10- Decide on your and your child's online ids. Pick
ids that don't give away your location or gender. Don't pick names that cause
attention. example- provocative or flirty names
11- Review your child's image files, downloads,
blogs, online messenger program buddies and all online contacts on a regular
time frame. They may not like it, but its your job as a parent to keep them
safe.
Yearly Checkup
A yearly checkup to review current internet safety
should be discussed each and every year. Each year as your child grows and
becomes less dependant upon you the parents, the more time your child spends
online. It maybe time to expand your child's privileges online. If so you will
have to decide what changes will be made.
1- Start by reviewing your child's current
privileges. example- as your child grows you give them new levels of privileges
which allows them to become more responsible.
2- Second go over the basics of them using the
internet. - Protect Themselves - Respect Others Safety - Act responsible by
following the family rules.
3- Introduce conversation about new areas that the
child is now going to be allowed to start. example- social networking- my space,
face book, or any type of networking that acts as a group or network. Which
network will they be allowed to use? What information is safe to give out on
their page or blog. What privacy settings need to be in place?
4- Understand that IM is not a secure channel.
Information is readily available to be seen by the public.
5- Avoid giving away any information that could make
your child a target. example- showing their mood- flirty or saying they are out
of town. Someone could in a instance go to your home by using the information
that your child has provided, to rob your home while you are away. The safe way
is to appear offline to the public.
6- Most teens or tweens don't personally know
everyone on their buddy list. If they don't Personally Know Them They are a
Stranger.
7- Explain to your child why they shouldn't open a
file, document, or picture from someone they don't know. These items from a
stranger generally have spyware or a virus.
8- Talk to your child about what is inappropriate
items to receive from someone else. Then have an action plan for the child to
inform you so that you can handle it. Also if smaller children are in the area,
have the child turn off the monitor or minimize the open window and come and get
you. Don't shut the computer down, if a file is downloaded it could attach
itself to your files.
9- Talk to your child about never meeting someone
from the internet.
10- Remind your child to consider what they are
saying in IMing 0r Texting. Because it could be forwarded to many others.
11- Explain to your child what bullying is and that
any bullying needs to be reported to you, for you to then report to your ISP (
Internet Service Provider) and Law Enforcement.
12- Online games have become an issue as well, as
many are mature material and also have IMS and webcams and video interactions
involved with strangers.
13- Set Guidelines as to age for services and some
programs allow limits. - Emails, Instant Messenger- Which email to use- Free
Services- Yahoo, MSN, G-Mail, AOL etc.. or with your internet provider.
Instant Messenger/Texting
There are many- Yahoo, MSN, AIM, and so on. IMs can
be sent from cell phone to a computer as well or another cell phone. Also if
they include their cell phone number in their profile then anyone who can see
their profile can also see the number. Applying caution and good sense along
with a open conversation with your child will help develop young children into
mature well rounded future adults.
Use software to safely be a backup on the family
rules and guidelines. And set consequences if guidelines and rules are broken.
Just as well as giving rewards for following rules and guidelines. And remember
be suspicious of information you see online it may or may not be true, just as
the child your child is IMing may not be a child at all.
Warning Signs
1- Your child turns the monitor off quickly or
changes the page when you come into the room.
2- Your child spends long time periods online (teens
spend a lot of time online so that's fairly normal)
3- Your child receives phone calls from people you
don't know or adults are calling your child. The calls could be long distance
calls.
4- You find pornography on your child's computer.
5- Your child is using an online account that
belongs to someone else.
6- Your child receives mail, gifts or packages from
a stranger.
7- Your child becomes withdrawn from your family.
What to do if you suspect something
1- Checkout what's on the computer and if you don't
know how to do this. Hire someone who does.
2- Talk to your child with a open conversation so
that the child can open up to you.
3- Monitor calls into and from your home. Have
caller ID installed and block anonymous calls.
4- Monitor all other services your child uses- cell
phone, game consoles, instant messages, email, chat rooms, blogs, and spaces.
5- Contact law enforcement if any of the following
happen. -Anyone has received child pornography or porn images -Your child has
been solicited or receives explicit images. Then follow what Law Enforcement
says to do. And lastly please remember that everyone must be committed to
protecting children. We the parents are their voice and by having rules and
guidelines we are trying to protect, not take away their freedoms. It is our job
to protect.
Age Based Guidelines
Up to Age 10 Supervise your child to make sure they
are not exposed to inappropriate material.
Ages 11-14 Supervise and start conversation with
your child about safety online. Use software to limit and report usage on the
internet. Set guidelines and rules. Start a internet contract with your child
and renew it every year.
Ages 15-18 At this age most children are very savvy
but still need parent guidance. Use software to report usage on the internet and
continue with rules and guidelines.
What Protection?
There are software programs that can monitor your
child's activity. We are not trying to prevent your child from doing certain
things but, keep you the parent informed, so if you child strays, you the parent
are aware and can help guide them back to the right path. There are many
programs out there.
Two programs with the most services and controls are
what Coastal Web Designs recommends.
Net Nanny- Younger Children
Cyber Patrol-Older Children with Cell Phone
Protection-
My Mobile Watch Dog
For More Information on
Protecting our children please feel free to contact us and you can also visit
the Dr. Phil Show on a recent program about
child protection.
These programs help you and show you how to use the
software and answer all questions that you may have. They can be purchased and
Coastal Web Designs can install them for you and help you setup everything.
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