Internet Safety

Internet Safety

Strategies for Safe Computer Use at Home

  • Parents often set curfews and have rules about visiting a friend's house without an adult present. Consider similar rules for Internet use in your home. Basic family rules are an excellent starting point for establishing Internet Safety guidelines.
  • Set up your home computer(s) in a location where you can monitor your children's computer use.
  • Establish parental control features that allow you to control and/or monitor the internet content your child views.
  • Find out if your child has a "social networking" account such as Club Penguin, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Have a discussion with your child about appropriate use of these sites, who their friends on the sites should be and what to do if they feel they have experienced problems or issues.

Guidelines for Parents

  • Talk to your child about internet safety.
  • Create internet safety guidelines together.
  • Follow through with the accepted guidelines.
  • Pay attention to your child's computer use
  • Read more about internet safety.
  • Join the fun of using the computer with your children for learning.
  • Do a little sleuthing-check the "internet history."
  • Watch for warning signals in the behavior of your child.
  • Know when to say "no."
  • When parents establish Internet accounts for children do not include personal information such as:
    • Name
    • Daily or weekly schedule
    • Address
    • Age
    • Birthday
    • SchoolLocation
    • Phone Number
    • Photos and videos should never be posted online.
  • What a child should do if:
    • He/she is approached online he/she should
      • Tell a parent or a trusted adult (teacher, school counselor, school administrator).
    • He/she is cyber-bullied he/she should:
      • Tell a parent or a trusted adult (teacher, school counselor, school administrator).
      • Not respond to harassing message.
      • Save the message for evidence.
      • Set up a new account.
  • What a parent should do if:
    • A child is approached online the parent should:
      • Notify local law enforcement and/or FBI Tipline 1-800-843-5678
    • A child is cyber-bullied the parent should:
      • Notify school officials, if school related; if not school related, notify local law enforcement
      • Save the message for evidence
      • Set up a new account

Internet Safety Tips

  • Keep your passwords private.
  • Use only your login name and/or email address when chatting or sending email. Never give out personal information like your name, address, or phone number.
  • Don't share photos of yourself, your family, or your home with people you meet online.
  • Always delete unknown email attachments without opening them.
  • If a person writes something that is mean or makes you feel uncomfortable, don't respond.
  • Remember that nothing you write on the web is completely private - including email.