Saturday, November 8, 2008

Safety Net

It’s not just outdoors where parents need to worry about their child’s safety.

Kids can face dangers without ever leaving their home if they spend any time online, where predators and bullies can lurk.

Staying safe online is easy if kids and their parents know what to do and what not to do.

CCSO offers these online safety tips:

· Never give out your real name, where you live, where you go to school or other personal information over the Internet.

· Don’t agree to meet anyone you’ve talked to online.

· Protect passwords.

· Communicate responsibly.

· Never allow your child to have a computer in his room. Place the computer in a common area such as the living room.

· Do not give your child a Web cam, camera phone, digital camera or video camera without close parental supervision.

· Closely monitor chat rooms your child visits.

· Look for new clothing or other belongings your child has that you did not purchase for them and question where they were obtained.

· Regularly search your child’s Internet history and “cookies.”