Internet Safety Month promotes danger awareness

A June awareness campaign—known as National Internet Safety Month—was created to educate parents and children on the importance of using caution when going online and help the reported one in three teens who have experienced online harassment."I don't think a lot of kids realize that in going on there... how easy it could be to pick you out," said Holly Quist, a public health educator for the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department.

She said what is most worrying is that many people believe that private information is just a phone number or address, but posting the time and place of a sports practice after school can be just as dangerous to put on the web.

"Some parents are afraid to talk about the dangers out there because they don't want to scare their kids, but at the same time if you do talk to them they are less likely to fall victim to what's out there," Quist said.

It is much easier than many people believe to find information about others online, and in addition to online predators, cyber bullying and sexting are also very big dangers for kids and teenagers today, Quist said.

"Kids think because it's not face to face it doesn't hurt and isn't the same," she said.

Because there are so many ways that kids can get into trouble online, Quist said that it is important for parents to monitor their children's web usage, especially social networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook.

"I think (for kids) under 18, as a parent you can do as much as you want. More than likely, they are the one paying for the bill," she said.

source:http://www.nooga.com