Online Safety Tips

Here are a few online safety tips regarding protecting your youngsters from predators online. The Internet has changed how sexual predators can contact and then lure our kids into dangerous situations. We can't see or hear the person we communicate with...we can be anonymous.

There ARE things parents and guardians can do:

From an article on Oprah.com, a former Canadian police sergeant (Rob Nickel), who works to catch online predators, gives some online safety tips:

• It can happen to anyone - contact by a predator.
  Kids trust everyone, and even straight-A kids who never get into trouble can become a victim to a child predator. It’s important to teach your kids to be street smart.

• Predators are patient.
  They have a ‘grooming process’ to build that bond online. They do what it takes to find a child, build their trust online, to establish a bond with them, and then will travel anywhere. It may take up to a year to build that bond. It’s EASY TO BUILD A BOND ONLINE because all you have to judge someone is by the text they type. It’s not like face-to-face where voice inflection (93%), body language, mannerisms, etc. tell you about the person.

• Be cautious about sharing pictures of your infants and small children on the Internet. Set security settings so only family and friends can view them.

• Install safety software on your computers.
  -- For filtering and blocking - programs like KidInnovation.com and Net.Nanny.com or equivalent.
  -- For monitoring, programs like GoMcGruff.com or SpectorSoft.com or equivalent.

  New software is always coming out with new features, so shop around!

  
  

  "The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unwanted Pregnancy" has several tips for you to help keep your teens savvy online:

• Know who your teens are hanging out with on the phone, and online. Some parents want to know who their kids are with, and where they are going, approach computers and cell phones with the same attitude.

• Sit down and talk to your teens about the effects of a nude or semi-nude photo. It’s a conversation worth having.

• Never assume anything you send or post is private. Anything you post or send will never truly go away.

• Never give in to pressure to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, even online.

  
  
  

  
  

  ---

  Go to "Teenagers" main page
  
  Go to "Child Safety Tips" main page
  
  Go to "Parenting Articles" main page
  
  Leave "Online Safety Tips" and go to "Home Page"