Keep Children Safe

With the many obstacles of being a parent during these technically challenging times, here are a few tips and strategies that can help parents equip themselves to keep their children safer.

Is your Internet Service Provider Comcast?

If so, Comcast offers free Tutorial for Parents: How to Keep Your Child Safe Using Parental Controls (.pdf)
With these controls, you can block EVERY site and still allow a handful of sites to your child when they login under their own account with a userid and password that YOU give them. To get Mcafee Security Suite, click here.

Ideally, parents know which websites their kids are visiting and who they are talking to online. While this isn't a perfect world, parents can take practical steps to help insure their kids are safe.

• Talk to your children. Find out if they have a website.
  If they do, ask to see it and ask for the userid and password. Monitor the site frequently with your child to see that no information is posted that should not be posted. Communication with your child is key.
• Keep computers with Internet access in a common area. Freqently ask child who they are talking to or what they are doing.
• Microsoft Internet Explorer and other website browsers have tools to block websites and set content levels. Use these, they come with the browser. Instant Messaging program also allows users to block other users and only allow known 'buddies' or friends.
• Check the website history and browser cache.
• Look for additional tools to help keep up with where your kids are going online when parents aren't around.
• Understand there is a different language in Instant Messaging and Chat Rooms. (more definitions)
• Just as you would want tv viewing to be monitored, find out if they go online at friends' homes or other places and what is in place to keep them safe there.
• Don't rely on social networking websites to protect your child. It is not their intention to protect your child, it is a parents responsibility.
• Don't be afraid to tell your child they cannot use the Interent. Parents must set limits with what parents are comfortable with.
• "It's not spying when it's something that's available to 700 million people to see. It's spying if you read their diary hidden in their room. If it's public for everybody else, it's not 'everybody but my parents can read it.' "
  Parry Aftab, executive director of wiredsafety.org

What do children need to know?

• Tell them what information they cannot add to a website, or in a chatroom such as name, age, school, phone number, home address, the name of your school, sports teams, the towns you live in, where you hang out and photos. Be as anonymous as possible. Avoid postings that could enable a stranger to locate you. Keep this list by the computer as a reminder. Add to the list as you see fit - maybe credit card numbers if your child has access to those.
• Explain why children should not talk to someone they don't know.
• Learn Internet "Netiquette", including no bullying or 'flaming'
• Help them understand what they post now could come back later to haunt them. Remember that any personal information you send to someone in an e-mail or as a comment could be spread to other people very quickly. Teach them early how to write, blog and comment properly, saying only kind words and understanding EVERYONE can read it..
  • Photos: Think before posting. What's uploaded to the Net can be downloaded by anyone, altered, and passed around or posted online pretty much forever. Avoid posting photos that allow people to identify you (for example, when they're searching for your high school). Before uploading a photo, think about how you'd feel if it were seen by a parent/grandparent, college admissions counselor, or future employer.
• Never make plans to meet an online “friend” in person without checking first with your parent or guardian. If your parent or guardian is OK with the idea, bring parent along and make the meeting in a public place. If you receive any offers that involve going to a meeting, having someone visit your house or sending money or credit card information, tell your parent or guardian.
• Protect your info. Learn how to set privacy and protection features. Check to see if your service has a "friends" list that allows you to control who can visit your profile or blog. If so, allow only people you trust. If you don't use privacy preferences, anyone can see your info, including people that sound like fun, but have bad intentions.
• Check comments regularly. If you allow them on your profile or blog, check them often. Do NOT respond to mean or embarrassing comments. Delete them and, if possible, block offensive people from commenting further.
• Cyberstalking is a crime. Don't write or post something to (or about) another person which you may regret. Never login under another person's account without permission.
• FYI: Using a Web site usually involves leaving tracks in the form of an I.P. address, which can be traced back to an Internet service provider and often the computer of a stalker. Tho you appear anonymous, you probably aren't to law enforcement.
  

Helpful Links:

iSafe.org - Parents can be the key to safe and rewarding online experiences for the whole family. i-SAFE helps educate parents about hazards in cyberspace, and gives them opportunities to spread this valuable information within their communities.
i-Parent Campaign - i-SAFE recognizes that a digital divide exists between parents and their children when it comes to the use of technology. In most cases, the kids know more about the Internet and new technology than their parents. That is why i-SAFE launched the i-PARENT Campaign - a nationwide movement of students, parents, educators and public officials - to inform parents about the dangers their kids face online and offer tips to help protect them.

The i-PARENT Campaign trains students and parent advocates to conduct Parent Nights and provides them with resources through an i-PARENT Toolkit CD. The i-PARENT Toolkit CD includes a "Start Here" training video and topical videos on the following Internet safety issues: Cyber Predators, Cyber Bullying, Cyber Security and Identity Theft. The CD also includes all of the forms and documents you need to perform a successful parent event. To order a copy of this CD, log in to the i-SAFE website and submit an Implementation Plan for an i-Parent Program Event.

Interested parents can become a part of this exciting movement by creating or joining an i-PARENT Board in their local school district. To find out how to establish an i-PARENT Board, order a copy of the i-PARENT CD and review the toolkit which provides an outline and helpful resources to get you started. In addition, concerned parents can become certified to conduct Parent Nights to other groups by attending a training in their community or watching a 45-minute online video.

Advice for Parents who's children use Myspace.com - On CBSNews (January 6, 2006) Watch Video   Read more...

United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT)
Keeping Children Safe Online
Staying Safe on Social Network Sites

Protect your Children Online - - National Cyber Security Alliance
StaySafeOnline.org is a terrific site to give parents an overview a few things they reduce online threats.

• "Even though children may have better technical skills, don't be intimidated by their knowledge. Children still need advice, guidance, and protection. Keep the lines of communication open and let your child know that you can be approached with any questions they may have about behaviors or problems encountered on the computer. "

Teach your children never to give out personal information.... (This includes posting personal information on BLOGS and journals online, such as first and last name, school, grade, sports teams they are on, number on jersey, etc.)

Wiredkids.org - They share the secrets kids have shared with them...what they are doing and how to keep them safer while they do it.
Parent Safety Booklet

Security at Home - Microsoft Corporation
Great website for safe computing, easy to understand.

• Watch Video to help parents teach kids about online safety.
• Read "10 things you can teach kids to improve their Web safety"

GetNetWise - GetNetWise is an online resource developed by a coalition of Internet leaders, including AOL, AT & T, Microsoft, Verizon and others.

• Online Safety Guide
• Tools for Families
• Kids Guide for Privacy Online
• Staying Safe Online: A Young Person's Contract

Blogsafety.com - BlogSafety.com, where teens, parents, teachers and adult bloggers can learn about the benefits of safe blogging

ISurfSafe.com - The Kid's Against Crime Online website - a children's Internet Charity.

For more information, GOOGLE :   safety online children

This information is provided as a guide for parents. Trinity Catholic School is not responsible for any wrong or missing information provided by the links on this page. If you have further questions or seek more information, please contact the Tallahassee Police Department or the Leon County Sheriff's Office, >>Prevention & Resource Section