Internet Safety

For Parents

Today most children know more about the Internet than their parents, but don't be intimidated by their knowledge. Children still need advice, guidance, and protection. Keep the lines of communication open and let your child know that you can be approached with any questions they may have about behaviors or problems encountered on the computer.

• Keep the computer in a central location.
• Create family rules for being online. Things like: an adult must be home before you can go online.
• Create a children's folder and put age-appropriate sites in it.
• Use parental control software to help protect your child from unacceptable sites.

For Children

• Never give out any personal information such as your name, your address, your school name, or your telephone number. Also, never send a picture of yourself to someone you chat with on the computer without your parent's permission.
• Never write to someone who has made you feel uncomfortable or scared.
• Do not meet someone or have them visit you without the permission of your parents.
• Remember that people online may not be who they say they are. Someone who says that "she" is a "12-year-old girl" could really be an older man.