Protecting Your Kids in Cyberspace

The Internet is now part of our everyday lives. The ability to access any type of information, any time of the day or night, communicate with people from all over the world and shop for virtually anything from home will forever change the way we live and work. Our children need to become experienced Internet users to find even menial jobs in the future.

Information on the Internet is governed by the First Amendment: freedom of speech. The information found, however, in some places may be viewed as inappropriate for children. As a parent, you must decide what's right for your child to see and read, just as you have the responsibility to govern what she watches on television or what books he reads.

Although there are lots of sites most of us would agree should be off limits to kids, the number of educational and positive web sites far outweigh the questionable ones. Filtering software is available to lock out sites with offensive information, but they may not be 100 percent effective.

Putting the computer in a visible location in your home is the best way for you to monitor what your child is doing on the Internet, A computer in a family room or the kitchen allows you to supervise the sites your child accesses.

If the computer must go in your child's bedroom, face the screen toward the door and insist the door remain open while on the Internet. Set reasonable rules and guidelines for computer use by your children. Discuss these rules and post them near the computer as a reminder. Remember to monitor their compliance with these rules, especially when it comes to the amount of time your children spend on the computer.

The Internet's use as a communication tool is unparalleled. With an email address, you can communicate with virtually anyone. Children can converse by email or in real-time chat rooms with children from other cultures, teachers from the best schools in the world or with astronauts on the space shuttle. Barriers because of what someone looks like, how old they are or where they live don't exist in cyberspace.

The danger of someone misrepresenting themselves to your child on the Internet is very real and kids must be aware of this possibility. Safety rules on Internet use aren't really much different than those we teach about staying at home alone and dealing with strangers: "Don't go with strangers. Never tell anyone when you're home alone. If someone does or says something you're not comfortable with, tell a parent or other trusted adult."

Remember "Information doesn't hurt children, people hurt children." Teach your children how to deal with inappropriate information and how to avoid potentially dangerous people online. Check out the safe surfing information for parents and children at www.cyberangels.org

Make sure your children never gives out personal information to someone on the Internet. This includes name, address (even what city they live in), phone number or the name of their school. Under no circumstances should they ever agree to meet someone face-to-face and if someone on the Internet pressures them to give out any personal information, they should cut off communication and let you know about it.

Above all, as a parent you can help your child by learning about the Internet with them. Get to know the Internet services your child uses. If you don't know how to log on, get your child to show you. Find out what types of information is offered on their favorite sites and whether there are ways for parents to block out objectionable material. The more you understand about the technology, the easier it will be to set appropriate parameters and help your child understand the need for safety.