Internet Safety
Everyone recognizes that children need to be protected from dangers that exist in the world. Parents rightfully monitor bus stops, shopping trips, phone conversations, recreation, sports, and insist on knowing with whom their children are associating. But when children enter the home, most parents feel they can relax, giving their children the freedom to do what they want, free from parental scrutiny.
With the advent of the Internet, however, the home is no longer the sanctuary it once was. Children who surf the Internet can be exposed to people and information every bit as dangerous as what they encounter outside the home. Providing children unsupervised access to the Internet is as dangerous as letting children go wherever they like in public.
How can parents provide their children with the wondrous power of the Internet to inform, entertain, and connect to others, while protecting them from those who would take advantage of them? Not surprisingly, the Internet has many resources designed to educate parents on the key dangers posed by the Internet for children. Below are a few of the most common suggestions to parents.
Do not allow children to access the Internet where parents cannot observe them. Children should not have access to the Internet in their rooms. The computer children use should be in the family room or other common space. Parents should use this situation to observe Internet activity of their children often enough to spot dangerous behavior.
Inform your children about the dangers of the Internet. This should include such things as Internet predators, scams, identity theft, cyber-bullying, and viruses that can damage or steal information stored on the computer. Children should know the things that are forbidden, such as never giving out personal information, never meet in public or private anyone they "meet" on the Internet, and never ordering anything without parental permission. They should also be warned not to believe everything they read and that people can misrepresent themselves on the Internet.
Make use of software that restricts Internet activity. This includes Internet filters that limit which sites a child can access; outgoing filters that prevent personal information from being sent out of the computer to the Internet; virus and spyware protection; blocking software that prevents access to sites on a list of sites not suitable for children; and monitoring and tracking software, that keeps track of sites visited and information exchanged. Browsers often have features that show what sites have been visited, something parents should check regularly.
Know the signs of cyber-addiction. People with cyber-addiction spend more time on the Internet than is healthy. They may become anxious if they are not able to access the Internet every day. They may neglect other duties in order to spend time on the Internet. This has been compared to an addiction to gambling, in which a person engages in an activity that gives them a positive feeling that they grow to depend on. The Internet has many fascinating and tempting things to do: chat rooms, instant messaging, games, socializing with others who share your interests and passions, pornography, and a huge variety of pictures, movies, and music, much of it available to download, making the Internet hard to resist.
Make Internet usage a family affair. Enjoying the Internet need not happen in solitude. Just as we watch TV, play games, and converse with others, exploring the Internet can be done together. This gives parents a chance to demonstrate on-line etiquette and to warn against dangers as they present themselves.
Limit time spent on the computer. This should be done for the same reasons that parents should limit the time children spend watching TV and playing games. Allow Internet time only after homework and chores are done.
Become computer literate and Internet savvy. Children often know much more about computers and the Interent than their parents. This puts parents at a disadvantage, especially if they come to rely on their children to help them with computer problems. Classes exist to help bring parents up to speed on computers and the Internet. Take advantage of them.
If you want more information, visit some of these sites or search with the keywords "Internet Safety Protecting Children."
www.wiredsafety.org
www.safekids.com
www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee.htm
www.nch.org.uk/information/index.php?i=209
dmoz.org/Kids_and_Teens/Computers/Internet/Safety/
www.safechild.org/internet.htm