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Tips for Keeping Your Children Safe Online
By Sharon Housley
Parents are constantly struggling with ways to
keep their children safe online. The Internet
has a global reach and at this point no bounds,
or limitations. Outside of installing filtering
software children should be educated in order
to protect themselves to this virtual monster.
We've put together a collection of ten tips that
should be observed while surfing online. At the
very least these tips will prompt family discussions
regarding safety.
1.) When on the internet
personal information should be kept private. Just
because someone asks doesn't mean you need to
tell them. When someone asks for personal information,
consider how they might use that information and
whether it is necessary for them to have it.
2.) If you are conversing
with someone online, don't assume that they are
being honest with you. Just because they say they're
16 doesn't mean they are.
3.) Do not release
your password to anyone, even if they say they
are from your online provider.
4.) Overall it is
best not to respond to unsolicited e-mail (SPAM),
if there is something flagrant or inappropriate
in the e-mail, consider reporting the sender to
their Internet Service Provider (ISP).
5.) Do not give out
or post identifying information, including address
or telephone numbers.
6.) You may want
to create a nickname for a screen name in chat
rooms.
7.) Keep in mind
when posting in chat rooms or newsgroups, that
there may be lurkers (people who read but do not
post). Your information can be read and seen by
all.
8.) Keep an open dialogue
with children surfing the Internet, remember if
they come to you with a problem, your first reaction
should not be to take away the Internet. Applaud
child's confidence in confiding in you and work
together to find a solution.
9.) Overall it is
not a good idea to post or exchange pictures over
the Internet
10.) Try to keep in
mind the Internet is global and is *not* governed
by any entity. This means that there are no limitations
or checks on the information posted and accessible
to Internet users.
Additional Resources:
The following resources will assist in staying
safe online.
Collection of Internet Access and
Filtering Software - http://www.monitoring-software.net/access-monitoring.htm
Contract for Safe Surfing - http://www.911paging.com/internetsafety/internetcontract.htm
About the Author:
Sharon Housley manages marketing for NotePage,
Inc. http://www.notepage.net
a company specializing in alphanumeric paging,
SMS and wireless messaging software solutions.
Other sites by Sharon can be found at http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com
. Additional articles can be found at http://www.small-business-software.net/free-website-content.htm
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