How to Protect Your Children on the Internet

The Internet can be a great resource for children for both learning and play. They can use it for school projects and book reports (instead of having to hike to the library like we did), keeping in touch with their friends and playing interactive games.
However, as we all know, the Internet is filled with hidden dangers. An innocent search of the word “Legos” can be misspelled to “Legs” and your child may be directed to some sites that are inappropriate for children of any age. Internet Security
This is why it is so important to be aware of what your children are doing online, who they are chatting with and what sites they are visiting. Even with laws such as Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), your child’s best online protection is you. Talk to them about the dangers and monitor their online usage to help them surf the Internet safely.
Here are some great tips to keep your children safe while still allowing them to explore the wonderful world of the Internet.

1. Keep the computer in a common area, such as the family room or dining room, so you can more closely monitor your children’s activities.
2. Let your young children know that chat rooms are off limits. You can use special software or contact your Internet provider to block these sites. If your child is a teenager, and you do allow them to access chat rooms, monitor this and your teenager’s behavior closely.
3. Bookmark your children’s favorite sites so they will be less likely to have to go to search engine sites to search for what they want.
4. Talk to the parents of your children’s friends and their teachers – find out what online protection is being offered when they are away from home.
5. Investigate the many types of software out there that will allow you to customize what you want to allow your children to access and what you would like to block them from seeing. Your Internet provider may also have options to help you control Internet usage.
6. Caution your children to never reveal any personal information online, like their name, address, phone number or even send pictures to people they do not know. In addition, they should never respond to any emails from people that they do not know and should let you know about anything that happens that makes them feel uncomfortable.

Taking a pro-active and serious role in your children’s Internet activities will help ensure that they benefit from the valuable information it offers without being exposed to any potential dangers.

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