| When you sign up with high speed Internet | | | | out a form for a service. Don't allow them to sign |
| providers, you have to be prepared to protect | | | | up for services without asking you for permission |
| your children from the dangerous people who go | | | | first. |
| online for immoral and illegal purposes. Kids are | | | | 6. Older children will be more reluctant to share |
| web savvy these days, and often make use of | | | | information with you. Exercise trust as much as |
| communities such as MySpace to communicate | | | | possible, but never stop monitoring their activity. |
| with their friends and share information, but that | | | | The safety of your kids is too important. |
| doesn't mean they don't need the watchful eyes | | | | Always follow your gut when setting up parental |
| of a parent checking up on them. | | | | controls for online surfing. While some DSL |
| The following are a few tips for protecting your | | | | broadband providers like At&t and Verizon |
| kids when they go online: | | | | have decent controls, this simply is not enough. |
| 1. Communicate with your kids. This is the best | | | | Every child is different, so you have to create |
| way to keep track of the online activities of your | | | | limitations and boundaries according to the unique |
| children. However, for younger kids | | | | needs of your family. Every few months, sit |
| communication is not enough. You'll need to set up | | | | down as a family and have a meeting about |
| parental controls and filters to monitor content. | | | | Internet safety. Allowing open dialogue to occur is |
| Children under 7 should be supervised at all times | | | | the best way to foster trust between family |
| when online. | | | | members, especially for older children and |
| 2. Don't sign your kids up for online accounts until | | | | teenagers. |
| they're in high school -- old enough to be more | | | | If your kids are not afraid to approach you with |
| aware of the dangers online. If your teenager has | | | | problems and concerns, they will open up more |
| an online account, make sure you can access it | | | | and will be less likely to keep secrets from you. |
| yourself to see who your child is talking to. This | | | | Although high speed Internet providers offer |
| way you can nip problems in the bud before they | | | | some level of parental controls, you really have to |
| develop into something more serious. | | | | step up to protect your kids and their best |
| 3. Set parental controls on your computer's | | | | interests. |
| Internet browser according to age, and frequently | | | | It can be difficult to balance the personal privacy |
| research the browser's history to see what sites | | | | concerns of your children with the need to keep |
| your kids have been visiting. Talk to your kids | | | | them safe, but it is possible to achieve a happy |
| about the sites they have visited so that they | | | | medium. High speed Internet providers may give |
| understand you care about their safety. | | | | you access to the online world, which offers |
| 4. Limit the sites your kids are permitted to visit | | | | children great resources, but safety is not a given. |
| and set aside time periods when they can use the | | | | But if you use the parental control features |
| Internet at home. | | | | available on most operating systems and Internet |
| 5. Tell your kids never to give out personal | | | | browsers, and continuously monitor your kids' |
| information online, either to strangers or by filling | | | | online activity, safety will no longer be a concern. |