|
The Internet has become a very powerful and useful
tool in today’s world from researching topics of interest to e-commerce and
instant communication. In essence, it is a world of endless communication and
this is one reason why it can also be extremely dangerous to children if parents
are not familiar with the dangers on the Internet.
Chat rooms, e-mail and instant messaging provide
people a means of communicating with one another. It’s especially appealing to
children because of the anonymity of the Internet. Unfortunately, this also
applies to online predators. These individuals are generally very well educated
in this type of technology and utilize sophisticated manipulation techniques
under the guise of the same chat lingo that kids use.
Here are some general tips to keep your children
surfing safe online.
KEEP IDENTITY PRIVATE
When your children are communicating online, they
should avoid giving out their full name, mailing address, telephone number, the
name of their school, or any other information that may help someone determine
their actual identity.
Top of Page
DO NOT MEET IN PERSON
Be sure that your children understand that it is
dangerous to get together with someone they “met” online. If they do want to
meet in person, be sure that they discuss it with you first. They should
never go to the meeting place by themselves. They should meet be in a public
place like a mall and adults from both children should accompany them the first
time.
Top of Page
RESPOND WISELY
Your children should never respond to e-mail,
chat comments, instant messages, or newsgroup messages that are inappropriate or
make them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused. In addition, they should
share any of these types of communications with you. Talk to your kids about
these types of messages.
Top of Page
COMMUNICATION
It is very important for children to communicate
with their parents about their Internet activities. By understanding how they
use the Internet as part of their everyday lives, parents will be able to help
guide their kids on the Internet. In addition, certain basic Internet Safety rules should be discussed and
agreed upon with your children.
Top of Page
|
