Keeping Your Kids Safe Online

It’s a rare home these days where there’s no computer. Chances are that you own at least one. If that’s the case, the best location for it – in terms of your children’s safety – is in an area of the house where you spend a great deal of time: in the kitchen, the family or living room, anywhere you can keep a casual (and aware) eye on the sites accessed by your kids. Just as you want to know where your kids are at all times, keeping an eye on the history of websites visited is a good way to keep track of where they’ve been.

Your teens probably have pages on social websites, such as MySpace or FaceBook. Things you might want to discuss with your kids:

• Remember that when you are online in any kind of public forum, anyone can read what you post
• You never know for certain if people who you meet online are who they say they are (communication can take place in disguise – a “13 year old girl” can in reality be a 40 year old man)
• Keep your identity private; avoid giving out any personal information
• Never respond to email, chat, or instant messages that make you feel uncomfortable
• On the internet, misleading and even incorrect information can be made to look accurate

The internet is a wonderful tool. Unfortunately, it can also be used by child predators to meet children. Keep your kids safe: keep an eye on their computer usage.