Parenting Educator for the Aroostook Council for Healthy Families
Are your children online at home, at school or at a friend’s house? Do you know what sites they are visiting each time they log on to a computer? More than three-fourths of American homes wired for online service and thousands more schools and libraries are connected, meaning that the majority of children today have access to the Internet. Large numbers of these children who go online are encountering sexual solicitations they do not want, offensive material they did not seek, and people who threaten and harass them in a variety of ways.
More than 80 percent of children who use e-mail receive inappropriate spam – junk e-mail – on a daily basis and approximately half of the kids using computers reported having personal e-mail accounts that they read without a parent’s guidance. This means there are plenty of kids out there who are venturing onto unsafe sites or inappropriate places without anyone knowing. When our kids are surfing the Web, chatting or opening their e-mail inbox, they are vulnerable to some pretty scary material. They are being exposed through those e-mail accounts to some of the same things adults get through e-mail!
What makes the internet so scary is that it immediate and anonymous —two factors that can be especially dangerous to children. Some possible online threats include:
• predators and pedophiles
• pornography and explicit sexual content
• hatred, racism and violence
• drugs, alcohol and tobacco
• privacy violations
• “flaming” – rude and obnoxious people
• gambling
• scams, misinformation and fraud
• advertising that is highly manipulative of children
• viruses and worms
• computer crime (a.k.a. “hacking”)
As parents we have a responsibility to ensure our children’s safety to the best of our ability. There are some easy guidelines to follow. Some of these ideas are simple but it’s important to review these with your children.
Online Safety Guidelines
Always use the Internet with your parent’s permission.
Never, never, give out information online such as your name, address, phone number, school or parent’s name(s).
Ask your parents before typing personal information onto a Web site – even if it’s to play a game or enter a contest.
Never open or answer e-mails or instant messages from people you don’t know.
Never tell anyone your password, including friends or someone who seems official (except your parents).
Never make plans to meet Internet “friends” in real life. If someone asks, tell your mom or dad.
If somebody says something or sends you something that makes you uncomfortable or afraid, tell your parents or another trusted adult. They’ll know what to do.
Always follow your family’s Internet rules – they’re there to make sure you have fun and stay safe online.
