Online Safety
Posted by: Preston and Joyce in online safety program, online safety, internet safety on Nov 04, 2007
Morning Coffee
...small talk on the A, B, C's of child safety
Is there Internet Safety for anyone online today?
Ah! The wonderful World Wide Web! A whole new door of information and possibilities has opened in our lifetimes. And, it is still in its infancy. It is expanding everyday. By the time our children are grown, some estimates project the Internet will be ten times larger and more expansive than it is today.
Whether you allow your child online or not, the fact is, they will be there at one time or another, even if it is not at home, even if it is without your knowledge or permission. Knowing some ideas and techniques for internet safety is paramount for you and your child. Schools, libraries and friends will have computers with Internet connections. Teens today will especially find themselves online with their burgeoning curiosity about the world.
We say, teach them the online basics of safety. They’ll be safer for it.
Most kids today have a computer and Internet knowledge that far outstrips most parents, too. Go with it.
First, it is true, the “Information Highway” is loaded with danger for kids, and kids of all age groups. It is also impossible to stop all the sexual predators online. Our approach is to arm you with our best information so you and your child can stay one step ahead of these derelict individuals.
One of the best approaches, especially for teens, is to teach them that anytime they are online, they are not alone or one-on-one with their friend. Most teens equate chatting online and sending emails to friends just like they were using a cell phone. They perceive it as a private conversation.
Explaining to a teenager that everything they see and do online bounces off satellites, electronic waves and optic cables around the world gets their attention. Explaining how someone in Sydney online chatting with a friend down the block can be seen by someone in Milan makes them think.
For parents today, the reality is, social networking sites are here to stay. They are popping up weekly fueled by the speculation of their market value to advertisers. Advertisers are heavily targeting teens not only to go online but be online. Unless you live in a remote cave on a deserted island, your child will face these advertising messages daily.
Again, at some time your child will be online. With kids online there are criminals online whose full time job is lifting private information from all of us on the web. Finding personal information on kids is easy, too. So, when teenagers understand the nature of the Internet, they will be able to be a bit more careful, too.
With this understanding you can teach them some simple safety basics while online:
1. Know The Websites Your Child Visits
You’re in charge, Mom and Dad. Monitor your child when they are online. Know the sites they are visiting. This is a matter of safety, not lack of trust. If they are ever stalked by a sexual predator online you will need to help them. It is that simple. It is about being in a position of being able to help if ever needed, not lack of trust.
2. Make An Agreement With Your Child That They Will Come To You If They Come Across Anything Online That Makes Them Uncomfortable
This is where your child’s trust in you, the parent, comes into play. If tip #1 above is in place, then this should naturally follow. With this agreement you must make sure you stay calm, open and listen without judgment when they come to you.
3. Set Up Rules For Your Child Online
Decide on the time of day, length of time and websites that your child can visit.
4. Teach Your Child Not To Give Out Any Personal Information Online
Your child should treat online contacts just like the strangers they are. Personal information is none of their business. This includes telephone number, address, parents’work address and telephone number and the name and location of schools.
5. Do Not Allow Your Child To Agree To Meet Anyone In Person They Met Online
If your child wants to meet someone, make sure you go with them and you set up the meeting in a public place. Make sure you view all correspondence that your child has created prior to agreeing to this type of meeting.
Additionally, you need to really know about the Internet. For example, it is important to understand just how the Internet is used by predators. They use it to troll for unsuspecting children in a number of ways.
Some predators like to befriend a child first. Often, this process involves lots of attention, kindness and even gifts offered by the predator to the child. This type of sexual predator is very, very patient and will take the time to allow the trap to develop over time. The process will also slowly introduce sexual context and content into conversations and communications.
Some predators immediately engage in sexually explicit conversations with children. Still others collect and trade child pornographic images, while others seek real face to face meetings with kids. Regardless of the approach, it is important to know that the United States FBI states that there is no one profile for an online sexual predator. They can be any age or sex. There is no one profile.
Teenagers are particularly targeted because of their natural curiosity in sex due to their growing sexual nature. Online sexual predators exploit this.
Second, the ease of access to the Internet attracts predators, too. Cars, gasoline, security cameras and witnesses are just some of the things that predators eliminate in their stalking of victims.
Third, the Internet affords a layer of anonymity that offline or direct sexual predators do not have. Anyone online can easily hide behind a user name and prowl websites and social networks with a free email account.
One of the warning signs your child may be in the throes of being victimized online is that they may become withdrawn from the family. Online predators will work very hard at driving a wedge between a child and their family. One way they do this is by accentuating any minor problems at home that your child might have. The predator poses as an understanding friend and drives a wedge into the family structure.
The number one warning sign that your child might be involved with an online predator is with your child withdrawing from the family. It is not always the reason children withdraw but it can be an indication of contact with sexual predators.
Some other warning signs would be if your child displays anxious behavior about going to a particular place or seeing a person. Your child may suddenly have behavior problems such as aggressiveness or extreme mood swings such as brooding, crying or fearfulness. Their grades may take a nosedive precipitously.
We all have seen the headlines in the news. Predators have met victims who met on Social Networks or Blogs such as MySpace, Friendster, Xanga, and Facebook. These sites are where people can meet, communicate, and interact with each other online. They are very popular and memberships are exploding in growth.
Anyone who can get online can join and start interacting with each other immediately. Social networking sites are popping up weekly fueled by the speculation of their market value to advertisers.
If your child goes online, set up a few rules and make sure they understand them and follow them.
6. Never let Your Child Upload A Picture Of Themselves to the Internet
There is no reason today for a picture of your child to be posted on the web for any reason without your permission. This way, they do not have the ability to send it to anyone. If there really is a need for a photo online of your child, make sure you review the reasons why and carefully weigh the options.
7. Teach Your Child To Ignore Any Email Messages That are Uncomfortable To Read Or Mean In Spirit
“CyberBullying” is a problem as well as sexually explicit material. Both have negative consequences for your child and need to be ignored and filtered.
8. Teach Your Child Never To Give Out Their Password To Anyone
Emphasize with your child that this means their best friends, too. Parents are the only ones that should know their child’s passwords. Make sure you have them written down somewhere.
9. Never Let Your Child Download Software Without Your Permission
Make sure nothing gets put onto your computer unless you know about it. This includes games, programs and other materials that could include hidden items that jeopardize your family’s privacy.
10. Take Immediate Action If You Suspect Your Child Has Been Contacted by A Sexual Predator
Take immediate action. Never sit around to wait to see if a situation is threatening or will develop. There are several good cyber reporting agencies that can help you. See the Appendix in this book for help.
With a few simple rules, your child online tonight can be safer than they were this morning, whether they are online at home or at school.
bookmark This Article Ah! The wonderful World Wide Web! A whole new door of information and possibilities has opened in our lifetimes. And, it is still in its infancy. It is expanding everyday. By the time our children are grown, some estimates project the Internet will be ten times larger and more expansive than it is today.
Whether you allow your child online or not, the fact is, they will be there at one time or another, even if it is not at home, even if it is without your knowledge or permission. Knowing some ideas and techniques for internet safety is paramount for you and your child. Schools, libraries and friends will have computers with Internet connections. Teens today will especially find themselves online with their burgeoning curiosity about the world.
We say, teach them the online basics of safety. They’ll be safer for it.
Most kids today have a computer and Internet knowledge that far outstrips most parents, too. Go with it.
First, it is true, the “Information Highway” is loaded with danger for kids, and kids of all age groups. It is also impossible to stop all the sexual predators online. Our approach is to arm you with our best information so you and your child can stay one step ahead of these derelict individuals.
One of the best approaches, especially for teens, is to teach them that anytime they are online, they are not alone or one-on-one with their friend. Most teens equate chatting online and sending emails to friends just like they were using a cell phone. They perceive it as a private conversation.
Explaining to a teenager that everything they see and do online bounces off satellites, electronic waves and optic cables around the world gets their attention. Explaining how someone in Sydney online chatting with a friend down the block can be seen by someone in Milan makes them think.
For parents today, the reality is, social networking sites are here to stay. They are popping up weekly fueled by the speculation of their market value to advertisers. Advertisers are heavily targeting teens not only to go online but be online. Unless you live in a remote cave on a deserted island, your child will face these advertising messages daily.
Again, at some time your child will be online. With kids online there are criminals online whose full time job is lifting private information from all of us on the web. Finding personal information on kids is easy, too. So, when teenagers understand the nature of the Internet, they will be able to be a bit more careful, too.
With this understanding you can teach them some simple safety basics while online:
1. Know The Websites Your Child Visits
You’re in charge, Mom and Dad. Monitor your child when they are online. Know the sites they are visiting. This is a matter of safety, not lack of trust. If they are ever stalked by a sexual predator online you will need to help them. It is that simple. It is about being in a position of being able to help if ever needed, not lack of trust.
2. Make An Agreement With Your Child That They Will Come To You If They Come Across Anything Online That Makes Them Uncomfortable
This is where your child’s trust in you, the parent, comes into play. If tip #1 above is in place, then this should naturally follow. With this agreement you must make sure you stay calm, open and listen without judgment when they come to you.
3. Set Up Rules For Your Child Online
Decide on the time of day, length of time and websites that your child can visit.
4. Teach Your Child Not To Give Out Any Personal Information Online
Your child should treat online contacts just like the strangers they are. Personal information is none of their business. This includes telephone number, address, parents’work address and telephone number and the name and location of schools.
5. Do Not Allow Your Child To Agree To Meet Anyone In Person They Met Online
If your child wants to meet someone, make sure you go with them and you set up the meeting in a public place. Make sure you view all correspondence that your child has created prior to agreeing to this type of meeting.
Additionally, you need to really know about the Internet. For example, it is important to understand just how the Internet is used by predators. They use it to troll for unsuspecting children in a number of ways.
Some predators like to befriend a child first. Often, this process involves lots of attention, kindness and even gifts offered by the predator to the child. This type of sexual predator is very, very patient and will take the time to allow the trap to develop over time. The process will also slowly introduce sexual context and content into conversations and communications.
Some predators immediately engage in sexually explicit conversations with children. Still others collect and trade child pornographic images, while others seek real face to face meetings with kids. Regardless of the approach, it is important to know that the United States FBI states that there is no one profile for an online sexual predator. They can be any age or sex. There is no one profile.
Teenagers are particularly targeted because of their natural curiosity in sex due to their growing sexual nature. Online sexual predators exploit this.
Second, the ease of access to the Internet attracts predators, too. Cars, gasoline, security cameras and witnesses are just some of the things that predators eliminate in their stalking of victims.
Third, the Internet affords a layer of anonymity that offline or direct sexual predators do not have. Anyone online can easily hide behind a user name and prowl websites and social networks with a free email account.
One of the warning signs your child may be in the throes of being victimized online is that they may become withdrawn from the family. Online predators will work very hard at driving a wedge between a child and their family. One way they do this is by accentuating any minor problems at home that your child might have. The predator poses as an understanding friend and drives a wedge into the family structure.
The number one warning sign that your child might be involved with an online predator is with your child withdrawing from the family. It is not always the reason children withdraw but it can be an indication of contact with sexual predators.
Some other warning signs would be if your child displays anxious behavior about going to a particular place or seeing a person. Your child may suddenly have behavior problems such as aggressiveness or extreme mood swings such as brooding, crying or fearfulness. Their grades may take a nosedive precipitously.
We all have seen the headlines in the news. Predators have met victims who met on Social Networks or Blogs such as MySpace, Friendster, Xanga, and Facebook. These sites are where people can meet, communicate, and interact with each other online. They are very popular and memberships are exploding in growth.
Anyone who can get online can join and start interacting with each other immediately. Social networking sites are popping up weekly fueled by the speculation of their market value to advertisers.
If your child goes online, set up a few rules and make sure they understand them and follow them.
6. Never let Your Child Upload A Picture Of Themselves to the Internet
There is no reason today for a picture of your child to be posted on the web for any reason without your permission. This way, they do not have the ability to send it to anyone. If there really is a need for a photo online of your child, make sure you review the reasons why and carefully weigh the options.
7. Teach Your Child To Ignore Any Email Messages That are Uncomfortable To Read Or Mean In Spirit
“CyberBullying” is a problem as well as sexually explicit material. Both have negative consequences for your child and need to be ignored and filtered.
8. Teach Your Child Never To Give Out Their Password To Anyone
Emphasize with your child that this means their best friends, too. Parents are the only ones that should know their child’s passwords. Make sure you have them written down somewhere.
9. Never Let Your Child Download Software Without Your Permission
Make sure nothing gets put onto your computer unless you know about it. This includes games, programs and other materials that could include hidden items that jeopardize your family’s privacy.
10. Take Immediate Action If You Suspect Your Child Has Been Contacted by A Sexual Predator
Take immediate action. Never sit around to wait to see if a situation is threatening or will develop. There are several good cyber reporting agencies that can help you. See the Appendix in this book for help.
With a few simple rules, your child online tonight can be safer than they were this morning, whether they are online at home or at school.
