Internet Safety
http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/net_safety.html
The Internet can be a wonderful resource for kids. They can use it to research school reports, communicate with teachers and other kids, and play interactive games. Kids who are old enough to punch in a few letters on the keyboard can literally access the world.
But that access can also pose hazards. For example, an 8-year-old might do an online search for "Lego." But with just one missed keystroke, the word "Legs" is entered instead, and the child may be directed to a slew of websites with a focus on legs — some of which may contain pornographic material.
That's why it's important to be aware of what your kids see and hear on the Internet, who they meet, and what they share about themselves online.
Just like any safety issue, it's wise to talk with your kids about your concerns, take advantage of resources to protect them, and keep a close eye on their activities.
Internet Safety Laws
A federal law, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), was created to help protect kids online. It's designed to keep anyone from obtaining a child's personal information without a parent knowing about it and agreeing to it first.
COPPA requires websites to explain their privacy policies on the site and get parental consent before collecting or using a child's personal information, such as a name, address, phone number, or Social Security number. The law also prohibits a site from requiring a child to provide more personal information than necessary to play a game or participate in a contest.
But even with this law, your kids' best online protection is you. By talking to them about potential online dangers and monitoring their computer use, you'll help them surf the Internet safely.
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Albert Einstein --
"Everybody is a Genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid."
We use a filter called SafeEyes- we also don't allow the kids on the computer without us sitting with them- the computer must be in a public area, we have parental settings on the computer itself as well, and the computer is pass coded so they can't get on without us- we should update the password just in case they figure it out. There is always a way around all these safety features, so one other thing we do is keep communication lines open! We always talk about being safe online and about the dangers.
Quoting KickButtMama:
My kids love watching videos, especially silly animals like found on YouTube. But there is a lot of adult content on YouTube, so they use www.zuitube.com which is like the kid version of YouTube.
Quoting Jinx-Troublex3:
I use K9 web potection for DSs computer. It allows only safe sites and barks at you if they try something inappropriate....crack me up @ that one! Lol
I like that you can also set it so that the internet is off certain hours of your choice. I set DS's from 10pm to 9am and it pop up a message then shuts him out.
Great post! Thanks for the tip on June being Internet Safey Month!
An involved and informed parent will know how to talk to their kids about being safe while online. My 10-year old wants to play 1st person shooter games online, and I tell him maybe when he is 30! Ha!
A friend founded Yoursphere.com to help keep her family of 5 kids safe online. There is also a resource for parents to understand social and safety. Check it out!
Yoursphere.com: The kids' social network by kids and teens, for kids and teens
YoursphereForParents.com - Social networking and Internet safety information for parents
Heart of Dakota?
- KickButtMama
on Jun. 18, 2012 at 4:07 PM