Desktop computers
One of the wonderful resources for kids is the Internet. They can utilize internet to search school reports, communicate with teachers and other kids, and play interactive games. Any child who is aged enough to punch some letters on the keyboard can accurately access the world. However, that access can also create perils to your children. For instance, your 8-year old child might log on to a search engine and type in the word Lego. Though, with just one missed keystroke, he or she might go into the word Legs as an alternative, and be intended to thousands of websites with a focus on legs and some of which may have pornographic material. That is why it is very important to be conscious of what your children see and hear on the Internet, whom they meet, and what they share about themselves online. Just like any security issue, it is a good thought to talk with your kids about your concerns, take advantage of resources to guard them from potential dangers, and continue to have a close eye on their activities.
Laws for Internet Safety
A federal law has been formed to help you to protect your kids while they are utilizing the Internet. It is intended to maintain someone from obtaining your kids' personal details without you knowing about it and agreeing to it first. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) asks websites to give details about their privacy policies on the site and get parents' permission prior to collecting or using a child's personal details, such as a name, address, phone number, or social security number. In addition, this law disallows a site from asking a child to provide more personal details than necessary to play a game or contest. However, even with this law, your child's best online defense is you. By chatting to your child about the possible online dangers and monitoring his or her computer use, you will be assisting your child to surf the Internet securely.
Tools to Protect Your Child
There are several online tools, which you can utilize to control your child's access to adult material and assist to guard your child from Internet predators. There is no alternative to promise that your child will be kept away from 100% of the perils on the Internet. Therefore, it is essential that you want to be conscious of your child's computer activity and educates your child about the dangers available through online. Many Internet service providers (ISPs) provide parent-control choices to block off certain material coming in to your child's computer. Moreover, there is also software, which can assist to block your child's right of entry to certain sites based on a bad site list that your ISP creates. Filtering programs can block the sites from coming in and limit your child's personal details from being sent via online. In addition, you can get programs to monitor and track your child's online activity. Besides, it is a good thought to create a screen name for your child to guard his or her real identity.
Getting Involved in Your Child's Online Activities
Apart from these tools, it is a good thought to take an active role in caring your child from Internet vultures and sexually expressed materials that are available online. Here are some steps that can aid you to do that:
Become a computer literate person and study how to block offensive material.
Place the computer in a regular area, where you can watch and monitor your child .Do not put it in individual bedrooms.
In order to monitor the messages, share an email account with your child.
For easy access to your child?s favorite sites, bookmark it.
Try to spend time online together to teach your child proper online behavior.
Disallow your child from entering private chat rooms; always try to block them with safety features provided by your Internet service provider or with special filtering software. Be conscious that posting messages to chat rooms brings out your child's email address to others.
Keep an eye on your credit card and phone bills for unknown account charges.
Ascertain what, if any, online defense is offered by your child's school, after-school center, friends' homes, or any place where he or she could utilize a computer without your direction.
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Take your child earnestly if he or she describes an uncomfortable online exchange.
Forward the copies of obscene or intimidating messages you or your child receives to your Internet service provider.
Several sites make use of cookies, a device that track exact details about the client, such as name, email address, and shopping preferences. Moreover, the cookies can also be disabled, for more information asks your Internet service provider for more information. It is also a good thought to set up some easy rules for your kids to follow while they are using the Internet. The rules may include:
Follow the rules you set, plus those set by your Internet service provider.
Don?t ever trade personal photographs in the mail or scanned photographs through the Internet.
Never bring out personal details, such as address, phone number, or school name or the location. Always use only a screen name. In addition, never agree to meet anyone from a chat room in person.
Never reply to a forbidding email or message.
All the time inform to a parent about any communication or conversation that was frightening.
If your kid has a new friend, demand for being introduced online to that friend.
Warning Signs:
There are words of warning signs that your child is being pointed by an online vulture. Your child may be passing long hours online, particularly during night. In addition, if there are phone calls from people you do not know or unasked gifts getting through mail, it is a good thought to ask your child about any Internet contacts. If your child rapidly turns off the computer while you enter into the room, ask why and monitor the computer time more closely. Taking out from family life and unwillingness to talk about online activities are other signs that you want to look more closely at what your child is doing online. You can contact the local law enforcement agency or the FBI if your child has received child pornography through the Internet or if your child has been the victim of a computer sex crook. Finally, by taking an active role in your child's Internet behavior, you will be ensuring that he or she can benefit from the wealth of precious data the Internet has to offer, without being imparted to any potential perils.
Related Topics:
Internet Safety for Kid and Parents
Internet Safety
Surfing the Net with Kids
About Family Internet