Keeping your child safe online

Safety net?

These days there are so many different Internet sites, from simple games to more sophisticated social networking and chat rooms. Your child will probably know more about the web than you do, having grown up with email, Instant Messenger and MySpace. And there’s no doubt it can be it’s a fantastic learning environment, with facts at your fingertips for pretty much any topic you can dream up.

But therein lies one of the problems: the sheer number of websites and breadth of information out there makes it difficult to control what your child could be seeing. While she should benefit from most of it, there’s always the risk she’ll be exposed to inappropriate material and, in the worst case scenario, harassment and exploitation. So while she may have the technical skills to navigate the ’net with nimble fingers, you’re still the smart alec when it comes to cyberspace safety…

 Tips for Internet safety

• Get clued up about parental controls for surfing and email – your ISP can give you advice. You can get software that prevents kids from inadvertently revealing their address and phone number online, and filters out sites that contain sexual content and hateful or violent material or that advocate the use of alcohol, drugs, or tobacco. Some can also be configured to prevent children from revealing information about themselves such as their name, address, or telephone number.
• Use safesearch options Set your search engine of choice to filter out websites that contain explicit sexual content from search results.
• Keep a sharp eye Even if you’re using parental controls and filtering software, don’t give your child Internet access on her own computer if she has one in her room. Restrict surfing to your family computer so you can visually monitor her from a distance. As an added precaution, periodically check the browser history.
• Know where your child is surfing Bear in mind that she probably isn’t just doing it at your home either: she could be using a computer at a friend’s house, her school, your local library or an Internet cafe. She may also be able to access the Internet via her cellphone or a games console. 
• Protect her privacy Help her to understand that she should never give out personal details to online friends – that includes their messenger ID, email address, cellphone number and any pictures of themselves, their family or friends. If your child publishes a picture or video online anyone can change it or share it.
• Speak about spam If your child receives spam/junk email and texts, remind her never to believe them, reply to them, download any attachments that could contain a computer virus or click on any links that could take her to an unsuitable website.
• Explain that some people lie online and that it’s better to keep online mates out there in the ether – she should never arrange to meet face-to-face with anyone she met online.
• Teach her how to block someone online and report them if she feels uncomfortable.
• Ban her from ever using your credit details to purchase anything online or posting your credit card details on any websites.
• Always keep the lines of communication open for your child so she knows that it's never too late to tell you or her teacher if something makes her feel uncomfortable.

“New technology offers fantastic opportunities for children, but at the same time there’s a potential risk too,” says Internet safety specialist Will Gardner. “Adults have got to be more open and learn a bit about the technology. If we open a dialogue with our kids, then we’ll be able to help them with any problems that come up.”

 

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