What You Can Do...

• Prohibit children from having their picture on-line.
• Do not allow your children to use on-line profiles. Remind them not to disseminate real names, telephone numbers, address or other personal information to anyone on-line.
• Remind your children that the rules are the same for any computer they use, whether at home, friend's house, school or public library.
• Place computer in family room so you can monitor its use more easily.
• Prohibit children from talking to strangers on-line.
• Never allow a meeting to take place with someone your child has talked to on the Internet.
• Learn the skills to navigate the web.
• Become computer savvy so that you are aware of what your children are talking about.
• Become familiar with the people and web sites your children are visiting and interacting with on the Internet just as you would their friends.
• Know what your children do on-line.
• Choose your ISP for their Parental Controls and use them. Most Parental Controls allow adults to restrict access to age appropriate levels.
• Teach your children to avoid responding to messages that are suggestive, obscene, threatening or makes them feel uncomfortable.
• Try to select non-descriptive Account Names and Screen Names.
• Set reasonable guidelines for your children's on-line time. Do not allow the computer to take the place of a babysitter. Guidelines should be age appropriate.
• With the establishment of family guidelines, your child can have a safe and fun time participating in the Internet.
• Assure your children that they can talk with you about things that happen on the Internet If they fear they will lose their internet access, they may be reluctant to talk about anything bad that happended on on the Internet.