NET NANNY ONLINE SAFETY TIPS

First educate yourself, then your child

Banning a child from certain sites may only motivate them to spend more time on them, whereas educating your child on how to keep safe will give them the tools they need to keep themselves safe online. Your children may know more than you when surfing the Internet but their assessment of risky behaviour will not be as highly developed as a parent!

Teach children the obvious identity rules

Teach your children NOT to put photos of themselves on the Internet or to give out their names, addresses, phone numbers, schools, or other personal information online. Once photographs and information are posted in the public domain it is impossible to completely erase them.

 

Know the dangers associated with sites your children frequent

Whether it's MySpace, Bebo or another social networking site, by knowing what people are doing on your children's favourite sites that could put them in harm's way, parents can educate their children and show them the warning signs of potentially dangerous situations. Your children should ensure that their social networking site is set to "private" or "only allow friends to contact" to ensure that strangers cannot make direct contact with them.

 

Teach children what to do if they encounter pornography on a home or public computer, such as at a school or a library

 

In a similar fashion to the fire drill learnt at school, you can teach children to quickly turn off the screen and go to get an adult. This can prevent a child from attempting to stop the situation by clicking more buttons (and thereby spreading the attack and being exposed to more pornography).

 

 

Manage your children's time on the Internet

Scheduling times when a child can be on the Internet and the amount they can be online ensures that you know when they are on the Internet and for how long. Many kids now have computers in their bedrooms and are often logging on the Internet when their parents are not aware. By not allowing children to have free reign reduces their chances of being exposed to inappropriate content.

 

 

 

Set specific Internet guidelines for your children

 

Giving your children specific guidelines to follow will help them to use the Internet safely and minimise risky behaviour.

 

 

Keep computers out of children's bedrooms and in open areas

 

With PCs in the open, children will be less inclined to view and access material that may be inappropriate to their age range. Most laptops now sold have pre-installed webcams which means that if your child is engaging in risky online behaviour, potential predators will have a window directly into your child's world.

 

 

 

Keep up Open Communication with your children

 

Let your children know what behaviour is acceptable on the Internet and reaffirm that their safety is your top priority. By letting children know what is expected from them and that their safety is a top priority, they will feel that if something happens that makes them feel uncomfortable they can approach you without feeling they are in trouble

 

 

Report Abuse

 

Think U Know is a part of the UK Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) where you can report harmful content and inappropriate behaviour towards children. Visit Think U Know for advice on keeping your children safe online choose the red report abuse icon to report abuse if you believe your child may have been exposed to harmful content or inappropriate behaviour.