Internet Tips 4

Let's face it. Whether you're a parent or not, the number one, the most important, internet issue is child security. We must be as vigilant about child safety on the internet as we are about it in our neighborhoods and schools. It's sad to say that as good as the internet is for kids, it can be equally as hazardous. There are those awful few who will, if given the chance, take advantage of, and in some case, physically harm your children. And while the threat to your children is real, the steps you can take to protect them are simple. Start by giving your children the following safety guidelines: Don't give your password(s) out to anyone, not even friends. Never give anyone a picture of you or your family or friends. Never agree to meet any online friend or contact in person. Online friends may not be, in person, who they appear to be online. Never give anyone your address, phone number or any other personal info without first getting permission from Mommy and Daddy. Don't respond to messages that are threatening or that make you feel uncomfortable. Always tell Mommy and Daddy when someone says something or sends something to you that scares you or makes you feel uncomfortable As a parent you can protect your child by taking these steps: ** The single most important safety step you can take is to always be at the computer with your child.**. I don't have to write a single word more if you do this one thing. It may seem simple but the the simple truth is that too many parents leave their children unattended at the computer. With Blocking and/or Blacklisting software. There are are pros and cons to both forms of these protective programs. You as the parent will have to decide which kind of a compromise or balance between the two you are going to establish. Blocking software blocks access to websites and services on the net based on a series of predetermined specifications and characteristics which the software is programmed to look for. These programs can cause difficulty net surfing as they tend to censor harmless sites periodically. It gets out of hand sometimes. There are reports of some blocking programs that come preset to block sites such as Time, Envirolink and HateWatch, for example. Blacklisting software provides less security than Blocking software but allows for fuller use of the net. It blocks access to specific sites which you add and remove from the "Black list" manually. So, for instance, if you know of sites in particular that you do not want your child to visit, you can add them to the blacklist immediately. The problem is that you've got a pretty big job ahead of you if you choose to rely solely on this software to protect your children as there are thousands of problematic and potentially dangerous sites on the net. Have your child(ren) use safe search engines. There are a number of these. They do (much of) the blocking for you. They are not perfect, but they are usually pretty good. Here's a few safe search engines: GoogleSafe which allows you to set safe preferences for Google search results KidsClick a database of over 6400 sites compiled by librarians. At then end of this piece you will see a collection of childsafe search engines. Choose a family oriented ISP (Internet Service Provider). Ask your current ISP or an ISP you are considering, these questions: Do you have an index of online profiles and/or a member directory and can a parent keep a screen name or an account name unlisted? Do you have chat rooms for minors only and are they monitored by serious professionally qualified individuals? Can I block access to chat rooms by my children? Do you have some sort of private/instant message system? What kind, if any security features does it have. Can I block all or some incoming messages based on a content filter. Can I block messages coming from certain people? Do I have exclusive control over my child's allowed contacts list? Can my child change the list of those who I have approved to IM my child? Can I make my and my child's online presence private or known only to individuals I select to know? OR can I make sure certain people don't know when I and my child are online? Do you have a way to block e-mail from individual accounts or from certain addresses or types of sites? What about reporting unwanted e-mail? What other parental controls or protections for minors do you have available? How do users report suspicious online activity? (Taken in part from Protect Kids.com) Too much can happen if the child is allowed a PC in his or her own (bed)room. Put the computer in a common area or family room in the house. Tell your children that the rules for online safety apply no matter which computer they are using, no matter where that computer is. If you do permit a meeting between an online contact/friend and your child make sure you are present at the meeting. Keep track of the sites your children visit. Don't allow your children their own email accounts. Have them share your email accounts so you can be sure they are staying out of trouble. If you allow them to enter chat rooms have them choose a gender neutral, non-descriptive user name. If your child is being targeted by a predator you will see some of, if not all, of these signs: Pornography on your (or their) PC. Predators sometimes give children explicit photos of children having sex with other children or adults in order to convince them that sex at their age, and with adults, is normal. Changes in your child's behavior and temperament. They become more secretive. Your child withdraws, becomes reclusive spends less time with friends and family. Children that are pursued or victimized by predators become depressed and withdrawn. Unexpected gifts and other packages and letters from strangers or strange addresses start arriving addressed to your child specifically. Your child starts getting phone calls from strangers or makes calls to people and phone numbers you don't recognize. Of course, if you spot any of these signs, start asking questions. Press your children gently for names and dates and places where they first and subsequently met the predator(s). Track down the source of the phone calls and the gifts. Look at your phone bill(s) carefully. Go to the police immediately and tell them what you have found. There's no such thing as an insignificant incident or problem. Police these days are very much on the lookout for child predators and they will be most interested to examine carefully even the smallest item you wish to report. They will add it to their database and investigate even the tiniest lead(s) and use it to develope a profile of the suspect(s) down the line. There's more to child safety than I have outlined on this page. Here are some sites that specialize in online child safety: FBI NetSmartz SafeKids CyberAngels Microsoft At Home Security Net Nanny Here are a few reputable child protection software programs. If you wish you can buy them from me by clicking on the banners below and/or to the left. Net Nanny Cyber Patrol Bsafe Cybersitter * SafeSurf Content Watch * Make sure to download their free SafeSurf Content Advisor file which will update Internet Explorer's Content Advisor to support SurfSafe ratings

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Christian Resources for Parents

Whether you're a Christian or not, the fact is that you can rely on the information and resources areas relating to culture and science and reviews of movies and games, that most Christian agencies provide to help you steer your children away from inappropriate content and toward rich and helpful tools for learning and fun. The Christian agency I have chosen to help you here is Christian answers.Net

Christian reviews of movies of interest to young people

Surfing the Net With Kids is a very good web resource for parents,kids, teens, grandparents, K-12 teachers, and librarians. Surfing the Net With Kids is run by Internet guru, mother and journalist, Barbara Feldman. She offers a directory of kid-friendly websites, a weekly newsletter featuring educational website reviews and much more. If you're a webmaster, she offers a web feed like the one below which is also suited to parents and children.

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