Online Child Safety

You've heard Mel talk a lot about keeping your children safe online.  Here is more information about child safety and what you can do.

1.  The most important thing to do is to be involved with your child's internet activities.  If the computer is not in a family area, then move it.  A child is more likely to push the limits online if they are not being watched.  Having the computer in a more public area allows you to keep an eye on what they're doing.

2.  It doesn't take much to become internet and computer savvy.  Talk with a neighbor or co-worker and ask them to show you the basics on how to look at 'internet history' to see what websites have been accessed.

3.  Software programs are on the market that track keystrokes (what's typed on the keyboard), website accesses as well as block certain websites and keywords.  Perverted Justice has a quick review of these programs for you to check out.

4.  TALK to your child about what they're doing online.  Are they chatting with programs like AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo Instant Messenger, ICQ, or other programs?

5.  It isn't just these chat programs that invite predators, it's online chat rooms as well.  Any chat room can be open season for predators.

6.  NEVER take the attitude of "My child wouldn't do that."  Think back to when you were that age.  Remember how you pressed the limits?  Your child can and will do this.

7.  Even though certain ages are required for access to different websites and chat rooms, teens get around this by lying about their age.

8.  Have you heard of MySpace.com?  Over the last few months, this website has been linked to a few stalking and a few murder cases across the country.  What is MySpace.com?  It's a networking website where you can create your own profile, post pictures and information.  Research on this website has shown that teens are posting ALL of their information - their address, phone numbers, where they go to school, where they work, when their parents aren't home as well as pictures of themselves.  Does your child have a profile?

More tips are available via the Pervert Justice Website.  Look on the right hand side menu for "The PeeJ Guide".

The bottom line is this:  Computers and the internet are NOT babysitters.  As with anything else in your child's life, you must take an active role.  Want to see just how bad it is?  Click on one of the links below to go to Pervert-Justice's website.  Remember, these links are NOT SAFE FOR WORK and should NOT be viewed with children.