The internet can be both an educational and scary asset for children. Fostering a relationship of open communication with your child is the best way to know what is happening in their lives. Setting clear boundaries and rules while maintaining approachability will help allow your child to seek guidance when an uncomfortable situation arises. Giving your child options of other "safe" people to turn to (such as family friend, teacher, guidance counselor or youth advisor) is a great empowering resource for them to have. Use an internet safety contract to facilitate a conversation with your child.
Parents should monitor their children’s usage of the computer to ensure their safety. There are many ways to regulate a child’s internet use and safety tips/education to instill in to the minds of children. It is important to remind your child that when using the internet to never reveal personal information such as name, address, or telephone number. There are many warning signs that can indicate whether or not your child is being targeted by an online predator such as spending long hours online, phone calls from people and numbers you don’t recognize, and gifts arriving by mail. While adolescents are going through a transition phase those that target adolescents know how to lure them in through attention, affection, kindness and gifts.
TIPS FOR PARENTS
Monitor your child's internet use consistently
Encourage teens to report any threats they see online
Teach teens that it's not okay to post threatening messages online or through text messages, even if it's a joke.
Discourage from sending angry messages back and forth with another person
Help teens learn to view web sites critically
Have aninternet use contract that states that teens may not use the Internet to view violent web sites or games or to cyberbully others or they will lose their Internet privileges. Talk to your child about your internet safety concerns in a positive way and give them the opportunity to make safety resolutions that you can both live with (example, how much time can be spent online? Are chat rooms permitted?).
Keep the computer in a high-traffic area of the home and don't allow teens to have computers in their bedrooms where you can't monitor their Internet use.
Provide teens with a loving and supportive environment at home so they don't look for an internet "family" that might encourage violence.
Use filters to block violent or hateful web sites
Report any online threats that you find out about to the school and the police Explain that your kids should: NEVER give out personal information, NEVER meet anyone from online without your permission, NEVER open emails from unknown senders, and NEVER share their photo with strangers over the Internet.
Internet accounts should always be in the parent's name
Check your credit card statements each month for unusual charges that may indicate that a stranger or your child is making unauthorized purchases.
Education and parental involvement are the primary methods of prevention.
