Tips: Online Browsing For Children
The Worldwide Web offers endless educational and entertainment opportunities, especially for children. However, parents must remember that the Internet is also a passage into your home for sexual predators and access to information that may be inappropriate. An estimated 30 million children in the U.S. have access to the Internet and many have been targeted and victimized through inappropriate conversations with online predators. Fortunately for parents, there are plenty of actions they can take to minimize this risk.
Parents can protect their kids by adhering to the following tips:
Limit internet access to computers in common areas that can be observed easily.
- Educate your children on the dangers of the Internet.
- Install URL blocking filters.
- Warn children not to give out personal information.
Instruct your children to never download pictures from an unknown source.
Remind them that they should never meet anyone in person that they met online without your supervision.
Spend time with your children online and learn about their favorite websites.
Be wary of chat rooms. If possible, they should be monitored.
If your children are young, share the family e-mail address with them, as opposed to allowing them their own.
Make sure there are computer safeguards at computers at your child's school, the public library, or any place outside of your normal supervision.
Never blame your child for encounters with online predators. It is not their fault.
Keep an open line of communication.
When it comes to our children, parents will do anything to protect them. Be safe on the Internet by being observant and following these rules to create a safer Internet experience.