Seatbelts for Your Child’s Journeys in Cyberspace

Some seatbelts kids can learn to put on for themselves

Never give out your password ! even to your best friend. Back out, and always tell a your teacher about bad language or anything inappropriate that you see on line. Never give out personal info on line. Never accept files, or websites from people you do not know. Never say you’ll meet someone from on line. If someone suggests that you do, tell your parents or a teacher. No chat rooms at school. At home, always ask your parents first!

Barry Maddox, an FBI special agent says : “It is estimated that there are over 20,000 sites on the Internet that you could go to and get child pornography … “There are more than 45 million kids worldwide using the Internet. Recent statistics show one in five received a sexual approach on the Internet – that could be from another (child/teenager) or from a predator.

For others they need guidance: Place computer in well-traveled area of your home – not in your child’s bedroom “That information comes from surveys, interviews and interviews with predators. Sixty-five inmates in a federal prison were interviewed. The average had 12 to 13 victims they had sent porn to or had sex with.” (from Philadelphia Inquirer 9/14/03)

Jane D. Brown, parent of a 13 year old and professor of mass communications at U of NC, specializes in how adolescent health is affected by the mass media. “For kids today, using Instant Messenger and chat rooms is sort of like the way we used the phone when we were young. (but) “When we were on the phone, our parents could eavesdrop. They knew who we were talking to and what we were talking about… There were more opportunities for monitoring” “…on the Web now kids have access to information, places and people we would never conceive of wanting them to have access to.”

What seatbelts can we provide? The largest group of viewers of Internet porn is children between ages 12 and 17 (Family Safe Media) ).

Place computer in a well-traveled area with high visibility. Not in their bedrooms. Spend time with your children on-line. Supervise your child’s chat-room activity – only allow monitored chat rooms. Block instant/personal messages from strangers – that is people you do not know.

Upon entering a chat room and similar communication vehicles, users are given an "opportunity" to fill out surveys so that they can have their personal info posted. The surveys generally ask for information about personal habits, likes and dislikes, name, town, physical description, favorite hangouts, age, etc. Teach your children that this is an unsafe practice which makes them very vulnerable and explain why. Use a filter to limit access to areas of the Internet you would prefer your child not access. Educate your child about the Internet. Help them to know that just because they see or are told something on the Internet, it isn’t necessarily true.

Have access to your child’s and check it randomly. Let the child know that you do this. Make it your business to know what kind of safeguards and/or supervision are employed at the library, at school and at friends’ homes.

Monitoring Software Spectorsoft.com or Safety-net.info or Software4Parents.com or PCmagazine.com (search “parental monitoring”)

Books Kids Online, by Donna Rice Hughes Internet & Computer Ethics for Kids (and Parents & Teachers Who Haven’t Got a Clue.) by Winn Schwartau Safety Monitor: How to Protect Your Kids Online, by Detective Mike Sullivan The Parent’s Guide to Protecting Your Children in Cyberspace

Internet Seatbelt Links your family Blocking and filtering options Safety on the Internet – an index of sitesSafety on the Internet Internet Safety Tips for Parents Safety Net for the Internet – from the New York Public LibrarySafety Net for the Internet Make the Internet Safer for Your Child – from the City of BostonMake the Internet Safer for Your Child Be Safe Onlinehttp:// Be Web Awarehttp:// / Get NetWisehttp:// / ParentSmarthttp:// KIDZ Privacyhttp:// Safe & Smarthttp:// I-Safehttp:// Parents' Guide to the Internethttp:// NC Dept. of Justice Internet Safety Videohttp://

Internet Filtering Software

Bibliography The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 14, 2003 ProtectKids.com – Donna Rice Hughes FBI.gov/For Families PC Advisor.co.uk Falmouth Massachusettes Police Website