Keeping Kids Safe Online

Here are some tips to keep children safe online.

• Children should use computers only in common areas of the home where they can be monitored, never behind closed doors in their bedrooms.
• Talk with your child often about how to keep safe on the Internet.  Let your child know you will regularly be checking their computer history and their email and chat messages.
• Encourage your child to use nicknames on networking and chat sites and never to put indentifying information about themselves or the family in social networking profiles.  Your child should be told to keep passwords secret from everyone but you.
• Remind your child millions of people can see anything they post online and these messages and photos will never go away.  Teach your child to think before posting.
• Tell your child never to personally meet with anyone they have met only in cyberspace.
• Monitor any social networking sites your child uses.  Make sure your child “friends” you and makes their personal setting “private.”
• Watch for signs of cyber bullying and tell your child to report such activity to you immediately, whether it involves them or a friend.
• Retain all evidence of cyber bullying, including emails and text messages.