| In the world today, there are many people who | | | | safe. With parental controls, you block sites |
| take advantage of children. It used to be | | | | and chat rooms that you feel may be unsafe |
| that we had to worry about predators in parks | | | | for your children. Parental Controls Parental |
| and playgrounds, and in our neighborhoods. In | | | | controls are a great resource for parents in |
| today's society, we now have to watch and | | | | the fight to keep children safe. However, it |
| protect them from online predators. | | | | is not a parental replacement or babysitter. |
| Statistics indicate that children who use the | | | | Studies have shown that parents who have |
| Internet often are targeted by online | | | | direct involvement in their child's Internet |
| predators more often because they can | | | | use have fewer incidents of predatory |
| disguise themselves as same age as the child | | | | harassment. Kid Safe Browsers Because of the |
| using the Internet. There are however, | | | | growing problem of online predators, |
| guidelines for parents to follow in order to | | | | safeguards have been developed. Kid safe |
| protect their children from the dangerous | | | | browsers are specifically made for children |
| side of the Internet. Protect Your Passwords | | | | and do not allow certain keyword searches to |
| It is critical that you limit your child's | | | | be performed. Internet Safety Children are |
| access to certain Internet sites. One way to | | | | extremely vulnerable to Internet predators |
| do this is to password protect your computer | | | | because they are by nature very trusting. It |
| and under no circumstances give those | | | | is important that you teach them safety |
| passwords to your children. Most children | | | | protocol. It is important that they |
| will share passwords with their friends and | | | | understand that under no circumstances should |
| it defeats the purpose of having them. | | | | they ever give out their personal information |
| Passwords will also alert you when your | | | | on the Internet, and explain to them why |
| children use the Internet, and you can keep a | | | | these precautions are necessary. It may be |
| better watch over what they are doing. They | | | | difficult to explain why these precautions |
| will not be able to sneak on the computer | | | | are necessary without scaring your child, |
| when you are sleeping or at work because they | | | | however, being cautious is very important |
| will not know what the passwords are. Monitor | | | | when it comes to online safety. Some children |
| Computer Time It is very important that you | | | | are willful and will give their information |
| monitor what your children are doing online. | | | | anyway. This is when it is necessary to |
| Tell your child what is appropriate and what | | | | restrict their online activity altogether |
| is not. Warn them of the dangers of online | | | | until they are more responsible. Pre-teen |
| communication. Sit your child and watch what | | | | children should always have a parent present |
| they do and say online. More importantly, | | | | to monitor what their activities are. They |
| watch what is said to them. If you are | | | | may not appreciate you looking over their |
| suspicious, keep a log of what is said and | | | | shoulder; however their safety should be your |
| contact the local authorities. Block Access | | | | number one priority. When it comes to your |
| Blocking access to sites that are not | | | | child and the Internet, there is no such |
| appropriate will go a long way in protecting | | | | thing as being overprotective. |
| your child. Many Internet providers provide | | | | |
| tools that will allow you to better control | | | | Go To My PC is an Internet service that |
| your child's time on the Internet. Using | | | | allows you to connect to your home or work PC |
| parental controls to protect your children is | | | | from any Internet connected PC. GoToMyPC |
| advisable to all parents. With them, you can | | | | allows you to visit clients and connect to an |
| set the parameters to keep your children | | | | office computer to do presentations. |