1.
Getting Involved
Learn as much as you can about the Internet yourself. Surfing
should be a family activity, so use the Internet together
as often as you can and discuss
any problems you encounter.Keep the computer in a room where
the whole family can use it. For example,acquaint yourself
with the basic language used by kids when chatting on the
web, so that if you do see transcripts of their conversations
you will understand what has been said.
2.
Get Buy In
Sit down with your children and explain the issues surrounding
the internet. Ensure that they are aware of the very real
dangers that can occur and set some ground rules for them
to follow. Some experts even recommend that you draw up an
informal internet usage contract and get the kids to agree
to its terms. It is important that when explaining the rules
to the children you do so with their understanding and co-operation.
This shouldn’t be seen as a ‘Big Brother’
type exercise but more about genuine concern for the family’s
safety and well being. Once the kids know the reasons for
the rules, and they feel they have contributed to them, they
will more often than not abide by them.
3. Getting In Touch
Get to know who your children are meeting online and make
sure they are wary of strangers and never give out any personal
information about themselves or their friends/relations. Be
particularly careful about children using chat rooms. Never
allow a child to arrange a face-to-face meeting with another
computer user without your permission and if they do want
to meet, ensure that you are with them. Enquire whether your
Internet Service Provider has any “moderated”
chat rooms especially for your children's age: then make sure
that your children only use those chat rooms. Acquaint yourself
with the basic text/chat message language used by kids when
chatting on the web, so that if you do see transcripts of
their conversations, you understand what it is they have been
saying.
4. Getting Around
Keep an eye on the kind of material your children are looking
at and make sure that they go to the sites that you want them
to see and not to the ones that you don't. Consider sharing
an E-mail account with your children to oversee their mail.
5. Getting 'Gifts'
Unsolicited 'gifts' can contain offensive or potentially harmful
files such as pornography or viruses. Teach your children
not to open emails and attachments or download files other
than from people they know and trust offline.
Be careful when you or your children are shopping online.
Check that you are dealing with a bona fide company before
giving out your credit card details or committing yourself
to any transaction.
6. Getting Hooked
Limit the amount of time your children spend online, and encourage
them to keep up their other activities and friendships. Keep
the computer where you can check how long your children have
been on the Net. Set reasonable rules and guidelines for computer
use by your children. Discuss these rules and post them near
the computer as a reminder. Don’t forget to monitor
their compliance with these rules. A child or teenager's excessive
use of online services or bulletin boards, especially late
at night, may be a clue that there is a potential problem.
Remember that personal computers and online services should
not be used as electronic babysitters.
7. Getting the Benefit
- Think positive.
There are some wonderful resources for children to help them
discover, create and connect with other children worldwide.
Just as you look out for good TV programs for children take
the time to find the best and most useful sites for you and
your family. If you and your family regularly use a search
engine such as Google, MSN or Excite, ensure that you select
to have ‘Adult Filter’ switched on in the search
preferences.
8. Getting Close - Keep
Alert.
Always be mindful of any behavioral changes that might occur
as a result of your child using the internet. For example,
If your child starts becoming secretive about their time online,
or copies downloaded files onto disk rather than the computer’s
hard drive (so that people can not view them) or their mood
changes after using the computer, you ought to try to establish
the reasons
There's some great stuff on the Net, but some bad stuff too. It's
important to be careful when using the Internet and remember to
follow these simple rules:
1. Keep
your personal details Secret.
Never ever use your parents' credit card without their permission,
and never give away your name, address, age, friend’s details,
photos, or passwords - it's like handing out the keys to your home.
If you visit a chat room - sign on using a nickname, and when you’re
chatting don’t give out your real name or any other personal
details.
2. Tell your parent or carer
If you do need to give out personal details to enter a web site
or you wish to download a particular document or file - ask your
parent or carer’s permission first.
3. Don’t Meet Up
Never meet someone you have contacted in Cyberspace without your
parent's/carer's permission, and then only when they can be present.
4. Stick with whom you know
Do not accept e-mails, open attachments or download files from people
or organizations you don't really know or trust - they may contain
viruses or nasty messages.
5. Don’t hang about
Remember that someone online may not be who they say they are. If
you feel uncomfortable or worried in a chat room simply get out
of there! Never respond to messages or bulletin board items that
are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, threatening, or make you feel
uncomfortable. Inform a parent or carer if you receive such messages.
6. Don’t believe everything you see.
Remember that everything you read online may not be true. Any offer
that's "too good to be true" probably is.
7. Steer clear of "over 18"
sites.
The warnings are there to protect you. Adult sites can sometimes
cost a lot more on your Mom’s phone bill too due to ‘invisible’
downloads of premium rate dialers.
8. Do not spend too much time at the
computer.
Take regular breaks. Prolonged use of computers, over a period of
time, can potentially lead to eye damage and repetitive strain.
If you play games - always use approved joysticks, game pads etc
which are designed for comfort and ease of use.
9. Never download Peer 2 Peer software
It’s an open invitation for strangers to access to your computer
and it is also a guaranteed way of filling your computer up with
unwanted ad-ware and spy- ware. If you do chose to file share, remember
the two important rules:
a) Only share files with someone you know and trust
b) Keep your file-sharing legal - Downloading copyrighted
music, movies and software without the copyright owner's permission
could put you in serious legal trouble.
You should also remember that you may not be anonymous while using
peer to peer. Copyright holders have located peer-to-peer copyright
infringers and have successfully sued them. Always use authorized
online download music and movie websites.
10. Research Well
The web's a great resource for homework & research, but remember
to use more than one site for your information gathering to ensure
that you get a broad and balanced view and always cross reference
your sources.
11. Research Accurately
When searching for a particular subject using a search engine, try
and ensure that the ‘search term’ you use is as specific
as possible and spelt correctly. It is common practice for purveyors
of inappropriate material such as pornography sites, to deliberately
set up sites which have similar web addresses to legitimate and
popular sites.
12. The Golden Rule
If you come across anything AT ALL that is suspicious or makes you
feel uncomfortable or worried - LOG OFF and tell your parent or
carer immediately.
