When Children Started School, They Learned...  Don’t talk to strangers  Look both ways before you cross the street  Play nicely with other children  If something happens that scares you, seek help from an adult you trust

The Same Principles Apply When They Go Online

What We’re ALL Concerned About  Are children accessing age-appropriate material online?  Are children learning how to evaluate the information they find online?  Are children interacting only with friends or supportive adults?  Do children know what to do if something troubling happens to them?

But Remember: Schools and Parents Must Work Together  What happens at home?  What happens at a friend’s house?  Is Internet use monitored?  What if a child sees something that disturbs him?  What if a strange adult seeks out a child online?  Are the restrictions at home different from those at school?

Best Practices for Home Use  Reinforce the “Rules of the Road” –Don’t give out your full name, address or phone number to a stranger you meet online –Don’t post your personal information in a public place online –Ask me first if you have questions about this –Tell me if you see something online that upsets you –Tell me if someone you meet online bothers you  Adapt these rules as your child grows older

Best Practices for Home Use  Monitor your child’s usage –Control the password –Go online with your child –Keep the computer in a “family space” –Consider using monitoring or filtering controls, recognizing they may not be perfect –Consider using your service provider’s controls, if available

Good Resources for Parents  GetNetWise ( - Comparison of filtering toolshttp://  Safekids.com (  Safety Clicks ( - Tips and info for parents and childrenhttp://  Cybersmart ( - Downloadable online safety lessonshttp://  The Children’s Partnership ( - The Parents’ Guide to the Information Superhighwayhttp://  ChildNet ( - Resources in English, Spanish, French and Germanhttp://

Development of These Resources Is Supported by BellSouth Foundation AOL Time Warner Foundation Microsoft Sprint

Consortium for School Networking Copyright 2003