Online Safety For ChildrenGuidelines For Children To Follow Regarding Online Safety
Updated August 25th, 2011
By following these Internet safety rules for kids below, young people can go a long way towards showing their parents that they understand the importance of Internet responsibility. Top 10 Do's1) Children follow the time restraints and rules put in place concerning the Internet while online. Be forth coming and honest with your parents. 2) If you plan to meet someone that you have met only over the Internet, always have a parent or guardian with you. 3) You should tell your parents immediately if you accidentally come across anything that is inappropriate. This could be an image, language, or anything else you don't think appears to be right. 4) Help watch younger siblings when their online. 5) Use an anonymous name while in chat rooms, forums, and with email addresses. 6) Immediately close your browser if inappropriate images or language pop up. 7) Use the Internet to gain access to libraries and information to help with homework. 8) Make use of the Internet, but make sure to get outside and play as well. 9) Treat others on the Internet the way you wish to be treated. 10) Use virus scanning soft ware when downloading files. Top 10 Don'ts1) Personal information needs to stay personal. Do not give out information about who you are, where you live, where you go to school or who your friends are. Even if you think its safe to do so you must get your parents' permission first. 2) Do not send your photograph to anyone. Let your parents send out the pictures to family and friends. 3) Usernames and passwords are used to protect you and your information. Never give them out to anyone. 4) If you are not getting along with someone on the Internet, ignore them and leave them alone. Do not go looking for them or treat them badly as it could be you that gets in trouble. 5) Copyright infringement is a crime no different from stealing something from a store. Don't do it, and if you accidentally do it fix it quickly. 6) If you get an email from someone you don't know do not respond to it. Let your parents read it over and make sure its ok. 7) Don't keep secrets for friends if they are using the Internet inappropriately or if they are experiencing bullying, stalking, or sexual advances. 8) Facebook isn’t private. Do not post pictures or private information on social networks.. 9) Don't remove files or emails from your computer. Police can use the information to located and detain an online predator. 10) Be as choosy on the Internet about your friends as you are in the rest of your life. It is a good idea to be careful who you spend time with. Additional Information On Internet SafetyThis short video from the Google Family Safety Channel gives some additional tips for kids to follow while interacting with others online: You can check out many similar videos at the Google Family Safety Channel on YouTube. Finally, we have a couple of additional articles that may be of interest to you: List Of Rules For Internet SafetyIf you have a child who has access to the Web through high speed Internet Providers, give them the following list of rules to follow for Internet safely: Never reveal personal information. Don't reveal personal information such as address or phone number. Don't reveal where you go to school, where your parents work, or whether you're home alone. Many people enjoy online interaction, because they can remain completely anonymous. A man can say he is a teenage boy; an elderly person can claim to be young; a hardened criminal can claim to be someone new in the area. Never send anyone a picture of yourself. These shouldn't be transmitted over the Internet to a total stranger. Before you send a picture, get your parents' permission. Also, don't download pictures from an unknown source, as they may include sexually explicit images. Never agree to meet a stranger. If you correspond with someone for a while and want to meet them in person, ask your parents' permission. If your parents agree that you can meet this person, take a parent along, or make sure someone knows your exact location. Protect your identity. Choose an online name that doesn't let anyone know if you're a girl or a boy. If you feel uncomfortable stop immediately. Don't respond to any messages that make you uncomfortable. Log off if you receive messages that are mean or suggestive. Follow the rules. Parents set rules, such as curfews, and whether or not you can visit your friends if the parents aren't home. Expect to follow similar rules for your online behavior. Keep all protections active. Pop-up blockers and any other software put in place by your parents should remain in place. You and your parents are the only ones that ever need to know your password. Passwords are meant to protect your privacy. Don't let anyone know your password except your parents. Creating and remembering a password is part of learning to use the Internet responsibly. Some Basic Rules For ParentsThese are a few basic rules you can share with your children. As a parent, there are some rules you should follow as well:
Quality Websites That Are Safe For Children To UseThe decision to allow a child to freely surf the Web can be a difficult one. Parents want to make sure the websites their children are using are safe, educational, and entertaining. They also want to make sure their children are limited in their exposure to unnecessary advertising and inappropriate content. Thankfully, there are a multitude of child-friendly websites that offer fantastic opportunities for learning and fun. The following sites are a great starting point for most young children looking to explore the Internet. These are websites that parents can be comfortable with, as well.
By using this list of quality websites designed specifically for kids, parents can feel better about the places where their children spend their time while using the Internet. Social Networking For KidsOne of the most popular activities on the Web right now is social networking. Unfortunately, these sites are generally for all ages, so they are not the best environments for kids under the age of 13. Luckily, there are some new social networks designed just for kids. A good example of these is Togetherville: Although there are many social networks for kids, these are some of the most popular:
These sites provide parents with many options to protect their children online. You can restrict certain features and receive alerts whenever your child adds new friends. These social networking sites for kids are monitored 24/7 for all manner of inappropriate content and activity. Websites On Internet Safety For KidsSurfing the Internet can be fun and educational. However, it's often easy to forget that cyber space is still part of the real world. Parents should remind kids that all of the safety guidelines they are taught for the outside world also apply to the Internet. The following websites have a lot of good information on to make Internet surfing for kids both fun and safe:
If you know of any quality, safe websites for kids that should be added to this list, please contact me and let me know. If you found this list helpful, please share it with other parents.
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As a parent, keeping our children safe while they are using the Internet is becoming an increasing concern. Luckily, there are some common sense Do's and Don'ts that we can teach our children to follow on the Internet. This article lists many general Internet safety tips, plus many links are provided to additional online safety websites.
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