Reducing the Risks: Children on the Internet.

March 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Children using the internet are a growing concern for many parents and teachers, but in the technology, focused lifestyle that our society operates in, it’s a concern that is likely to increase and not decrease. The potential of exposure to risk is significant each time any one uses the internet for any reason.

If you have children in your family, you may like to introduce some of these simple, yet proven safeguards to protect your own children.

  1. Keep the computer in a central room of the house and not in the bedroom.  This can be a family rule not just one for the children.
  2. Don’t use the computer as a form of childcare. Use the opportunity to share time with your children and to help them learn research skills and if they are visiting social media sites, to know which ones they visit. This is equally important for older and younger children. You may need to be creative in talking with older children so they don’t resist this action.
  3. Install appropriate software that offers security settings for safe surfing on your children’s computers.
  4. Children should be taught how to deal with any internet problems including how to deal with strangers who try to make contact with them and what to do if they inadvertently visit an inappropriate site.
  5. Talk to your children about the dangers of the internet and ensure you create open communication to encourage them to alert you of potential problems and dangers.

The Internet provides children with a world of possibility, but just as in the real world, children need adult protections, they need that same protection in a virtual world.

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Is Using Computer Safe For your Kid?

January 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment

As we all know computer can be really useful for kids. However there is a danger attached to it. Over use of computer might spoil your kid. It might have a negative effect on them. You need to ensure that your kids only spend little time in front of the computer thus giving more importance to studies and sports.

The more dependency and exposure to computer might make them behave little irrationally and even arrogantly. This is because they would like to live in an imaginary world. Don’t let that happen to you. Life could be really exciting with the use of computer but make sure there is a line that should never be crossed.

The computer and internet should only be used for education and learning purpose and not for any others. Your kids may enjoy playing few games in it and therefore allow them to do so for a while. This might make them interested in studied too. Computer no doubt is a medium through which your children can explore many things. They can learn so many things with the help of computer and internet.

This could be really crucial for the child development. If you can ensure that the technology is not used for the wrong reasons then may be the computer can be of best use for the kids. Some kids do develop this habit of hacking when they are too much exposed to it. Don’t make that happen. Be aware of the various dangers involved with the technology and don’t expose your kids too much to it. Use the computer more for education purpose than others. This way you can ensure that the kids are safe and learning new things. Always make them use the computer in your presence. This can ensure there are no dangers.

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Some Reminders For Keeping Kids Safe On The Internet

December 11, 2010 by Leave a Comment

The interactive nature of the internet creates dangers for children, particularly those who are too young to understand the seriousness of the risks. Older children may have a better understanding of what not to do, but young children tend to be trusting and do not always understand the consequences of their actions.

Children of all ages need to understand why it is important never to enter their names, addresses, phone numbers or any other personal information on a form or website. It’s also important for them never to discuss certain things online, like what city they live in, what school they go to or what shopping malls they visit. A person with bad intentions can easily add all this information to get an accurate picture of where children live and their daily routines.

In households where young children go online, an internet filter can keep them from accidentally visiting inappropriate sites. When kids innocently search for a topic, the results can lead to sites that may not be appropriate. While teenagers are more familiar with which sites represent bad internet territory, children under 12 are less likely to understand. Filters can keep them from adult sites, sites with excessive violence, or even legitimate reference sites that may have disturbing subject matter.

It’s also important that kids understand not every site or popup ad is safe, not even ones that look legitimate or official. These sites or ads can contain viruses and other harmful software that can damage your files or computer, or search your computer for personal information. Explain to your child that he or she should never click on any ad that claims to run a virus scan, or that they have won a free prize. Nor should they download any software without your knowledge or permission.

It’s important to communicate with children regarding internet safety, and to be proactive in teaching your children to be cautious.

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Computer-Sharing Advice For Parents

December 10, 2010 by Leave a Comment

People with children in their households need to take certain precautions when using the internet. If you share a computer with children there are some steps you can take to protect your children, your computer and your privacy.

Remember that all internet activity leaves electronic footprints. Even though it does not involve personally identifiable information, advertisers often use the search terms you enter to display related advertisements. If you search for adult-related topics, even those of a clinical nature, you kids may see ads related to these search terms in a later browsing session. Make sure you use a private browsing session when you use the internet. Also, use your browser’s option tab to delete your search history, cache and cookies.

Always make sure to completely log out of banking, shopping and auction sites. If you have stored your credit card information on a shopping site, a child can inadvertently purchase an item. They could also see your credit card or bank account balances. Always log out of a site and then close the browser window.

If you belong to discussion forums that involve touchy, controversial or personal subjects, be sure to make your password difficult to guess. Don’t use names of household pets or school names. Choose something that only you and not your entire family would know. The best passwords are nonsense works or phrases.

If you visit sites you would rather your child did not see, be sure to delete your internet history. Many kids are more internet-savvy than you think, and may be nosy or just plain curious.

Explain to children not to download software, ring tones, music or other files without your permission. Children don’t understand the damage that viruses and malware can do. If necessary, block access to this type of website using your browser’s security settings, or install a customizable internet filter that prevents downloads from sites that are known to be harmful.

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