 |
|
||||||||||||
 |
|||
 |
Tips for a Family Safe Internet The Internet has proven to be one of the greatest business tools of all time. It has changed the way consumers search for products and services, and has changed the way suppliers advertise to these potential customers. Moreover, the internet has also proven to be a terrific resource for the whole family. It is both entertaining and educational, and provides many opportunities to connect and communicate. However, there are precautions that should be done to ensure that the whole family has a safe online experience. Remember that cyber bullying, online predators and other Internet pitfalls are preventable, so long as the family is well informed. Here are just a few tips on keeping it all "family safe"... Top 10 Ways to Protect Your Kids Online 1. Monitor your children's use of the Internet. Put the computer in a high-traffic family area and limit nighttime use. Also, check out online child safety monitoring software and filters. 2. Fortify your computer with strong security software and make sure to keep it up to date. Find one that guarantees protection from viruses, hackers and spyware. A good security software will filter websites for offensive content, pictures and themes. Anti-virus software will also protect your computer from viruses and spyware by automatically scanning email attachments and files downloaded from P2P file-sharing sites. 3. Make sure kids understand basic rules for using social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and blogs. They should guard their passwords and never post personally identifying information or inappropriate photos. Blogs and social networking sites offer privacy tools that can be turned on to restrict potentially dangerous users. Whether you’re a kid or an adult, it’s wise to only share information with people you know from the real world. 4. It’s imperative that your kids let you know if they arrange in-person meetings with people they meet online. Before any such meeting, you should confirm the person’s identity, and you should accompany your child to the meeting in a public place. 5. When using P2P file-sharing programs, kids should not download files from users whom they don’t know. They could be downloading infected files, pictures, games and music that are inappropriate, or media files protected by copyright law. Kids should not allow users to upload their music files unless they’re certain that they have permission to share them. You can disable the upload feature so that your kids don't inadvertently share files without permission. 6. Don’t allow kids to fill out online forms or surveys. If there is a legitimate site where they want to register, such as Nickelodeon or Disney, have them come to you first so you can check the site’s privacy policy and rules of conduct. 7. Only allow your children to use monitored chat rooms, and have them use a screen name that doesn’t hint at their true identity. As with blogs and social networking sites, kids should never reveal personal information or share photos. Make sure they understand that people can lie about who they are and that online friends are still strangers. 8. Teach your kids to ignore emails and instant messages from people they don’t know. They should never open attachments they are not expecting nor click on links in messages. Configure your child’s instant messaging application correctly to make sure it does not open automatically when they fire up their computer. Have them turn off the computer and disconnect the DSL or modem line when they’re not using it. 9. Use browsers for kids and kid-oriented search engines. Children’s browsers such as Kid Browser 1.1 do not display inappropriate words or images. It comes pre-loaded with kid-safe web sites and pre-set word filters. You only need to make sure you approve, and review the default websites and words. Kid-oriented search engines including Ask for Kids and Yahooligans perform limited searches and screen search results. There is a great list of engines at Search Engine Watch. The site also tells you how to turn on parental controls in regular search engines including Google, HotBot, and MSN Search. 10. One of the quickest ways viruses spread is via email-sent links and attachments. Unless you are expecting an attachment, don’t open it. Confirm it first via phone or in person. Similarly, do not click on Internet links from an email. Some of the most common scams include fake emails from banks asking you to confirm your identity and/or emails saying that you have won or inherited millions. Remember that if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Got any tips you'd like to share? Please let us know. Remember that we are all working together in trying to build a family safe Internet. Share your tips with us and we'll post them on this site. Resources The Australian Government has set up a website at www.cybersmart.gov.au to help kids, parents, and teachers gain easy access to literature on cyber safety. Visit the website for the latest information or download a few of the resources here... 1. CyberRules Poster 2. CyberSafety Resources 3. CyberSmart Detectives 4. CyberSmart Guide for Families 5. CyberSmart Tips for Parents 6. How to be Phone Smart 7. Smart Guide to Socialising on the Internet |
||
 |
|||
|
|
|
|
ABN 43 169 487 895 | Copyright 2010
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Site Map | Links