Internet Safety

From time to time people ask me "Why is Internet safety important?" "Why should I worry about it? I've got nothing to hide." If you're not thinking that Internet safety is important, then you're making a mistake.

Now the Internet is a wonderful thing, and I use it constantly every day without fear, but that doesn't mean I use it heedlessly and without thinking about Internet safety.When you're on the Web, you should think of it kind of like walking down the street -- if you live in a small town you probably don't think much about walking around downtown, and you probably feel pretty safe.

And even if you live in a big city, you may feel pretty comfortable, too, since you know your way around and you know how to handle yourself.But on the other hand, how would you feel walking down the street in the most crime-ridden part of a bad city in the middle of the night by yourself, dragging your wallet or purse on a string behind you while heedlessly listening to music on headphones and never looking at your surroundings?

The thing people don't realize about Internet security is that even if you live in a safe, secure small town with no crime, when you go on the Internet there is no real border between the "good neighborhoods" and the "bad neighborhoods", so you need to take a few basic precautions to protect yourself on the Web.

Here are a few suggestions:

1) Make sure you use a good firewall program on your computer; regardless of whether you use a Windows PC or one of Apple's Macs, this is absolutely essential

2) If you have DSL or cable Internet access, get a router and hook it up between your DSL or cable modem and your computer. Not only does a router allow you to share the connection between multiple computers, it also has a firewall built in to it, which adds another layer of valuable protection against threats from the Internet. And yes, this should be *in addition* to the firewall program on your computer

3) If you have a Windows PC, make sure you have a good antivirus program such as Kaspersky antivirus, that is still activated and up-to-date. Many people have poor quality antivirus programs and it's common for them to have expired after a trial period or the yearly subscription has run out, which means they're no longer protecting you.

Mac users do not at this time need an antivirus program, but this will likely change in the future.

4) Use a strong password, preferably a mix of letters and numbers that is at least 8 characters long, and which is not easy to guess like your name or a pet's name, etc., and don't use the same password for everything.

5) If you post in public forums online, or use a social networking website like Facebook, don't put too much personal information in your profile.

It is extremely common for people to share all kinds of information about themselves on their profile page, including birth date, pet names, children's names, address, etc. -- all of which might give a clue to passwords, answers to those "reset your password" security questions that you're asked if you forget your password on a website, and other clues that could be used for identity theft.

Most social networking sites let you set your profile to private, so only people you've added as friends can see what's on the profile. This is also a good idea.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Internet Safety For Kids : Kidsguard4u

Now more than ever our children are using the internet for everyday activities such as homework, researching, and even chatting with friends. Children are more comfortable using computers because they have grown up around them.Children also have an inherent need to freely explore, and the internet is the perfect way for them to do so easily from their own home. This leaves them open to become easy targets for manipulative adults with varying motivations. Some online criminals would rather gain access to personal bank accounts, or steal your identity. Others may try to meet your child in real life to try to sexually or physically assault your child.

The internet provides no more safety than meeting a stranger in real life. Because of the false security, many people get scammed for information and they don't even realize. Many parents and teens alike might not want to believe this, but we should consider the facts. One in five children were solicited online in the past year. One in five were exposed to photos or videos of people with graphic sexual content. Things of this nature are also free and easy for a child to download. The numbers themselves are enough to scare anyone, but situations like this are easier to avoid than you might think!

It's important to talk with your children. Let them know what kind of people could be lurking, no matter how nice they might seem. Instruct your kids to limit online conversation to people you already know. If you have a child that wants to "chat" (strongly suggest otherwise), but if they MUST make sure they know what is appropriate conversation.

Never under any circumstance should your child be allowed to give out any personal information such as name, phone number, email, and especially where they live, work, or go to school. Explain to your children disobeying these safety precautions could seriously harm the financial and physical well being of the entire family.


Parents want to think that our teenagers are older and wiser than our pre teens, but in reality they are more likely to get into trouble on the internet. Teens are more likely to venture around websites, exploring limitless information on everything from their favorite singer to downloading movies.

Teenagers are more curious and will take bigger risks than children. They are also more likely to reach out and chat with people from the internet that they don't know personally. Remind your children that people can pretend to be anyone through a computer, so even if they think they know this person, be careful.


Always remember that these are concrete steps that will provide Internet safety for your kids and protect them while they are online and still allow them to get the benefits of using and learning to use the Internet.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Teaching Internet Safety To Children

If you are a parent you well know that parenting is easier said than done. To add to this parenting now is considered incomplete without teaching internet safety to children. And in this times of cyber crimes and online threats this is not something you can afford to neglect.Teaching internet safety to children effectively of course means that you have to first get yourself educated, become aware of the latest happenings online especially in regards to online safety for children. If you don't know already, you will be amazed even shocked at what is going on online, the kinds of content which is easily accessible by anyone including children too.

Simply knowing how to operate the computer and access the internet won't do, this is one area where you want to be at least a step ahead of your kid. You have to be able to find out whether they are hiding anything from you. Thankfully it doesn't take much to educate yourself in the areas of computers and internet, resources are within easy reach both offline and online.

Like in parenting, it does help in teaching internet safety to children if you already enjoy an open relationship with your kids. For that matter, if your relationship with your kids is one of trust and reliability, it will be far easier not only getting across your messages to them but anything important you want to share with them. Hence building up a good relationship with your children helps in keeping them safe too although indirectly.

Maybe you already know this, but there has been some unfortunate cases where some kids ended their lives due to extreme tormenting experiences online. Even if not this extreme, we know that experiences of deep hurt during childhood can scar a child for life. The parents of the kids who went through extreme sufferings due to online activities would surely have regretted not having taken the right steps in time to protect their children.

source:http://ezinearticles.com

Using Spy Software To Monitor Children : kidsguard4u

The growth of technology is quite tremendous with release of new products everyday into the marketplace. There are different types of programs available and there may be few parents who are interested in such programs.Most of the programs are filled with promising features and would attract everyone. Initially you can start by searching the methods for spy work on your kid's computer in any of the popular search engines.You can search about the different available programs online to know about each program in detail. This will provide different tips that are useful for monitoring the activities of your children without giving any signal to them about the monitoring program.Most of the programs come in a ready to install package that helps you to install the software on your computer thereby allowing you to check the written and accessed content in their computers.

You can even monitor the different websites they surf on the internet using the special programs. You may find out the complete browsing history regarding the websites that were accessed in your absence.These programs are quite useful in understanding the mentality of your children and the issues faced by them. It would help in understanding several problems associated with them and having difficulty to discuss with parents.

By using this spy software, you are easily getting into their world to understand their problems in full depth. You may find it unbelievable to find their thoughts to be broad and unexpected and this method would be a great topic starter to discuss about their issues.If you find any search results about the use of drugs and related habits, you can discuss about it during your free time to make them understand about the negative aspects of such drugs. You have to handle these issues with ample care without leaving any chances of doubt about the monitoring program.

source:http://www.articlesbase.com

Internet Safety Tips For Kids

The Internet is a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks of local to global scope that are linked by a broad array of electronic and optical networking technologies. Now, a lot of parents have a false sense of security regarding Internet use because they view the computer as a safe educational tool. They believe that because their children are at home, and often in their own rooms, they are safe from harm. However, this is not always the case. The Internet may become the means through which some people can harm your children. Here, then, are some Internet safety tips for kids.

Number one: Always tell your parents or guardian if you see something online that you know is wrong or that makes you feel uncomfortable. Similarly, inform your parents if someone on the Internet harasses you or threatens you. Moreover, do not respond to any messages or bulletin boards that are mean, sexually obscene, threatening, or make you feel uncomfortable in any way.

Number two: Never arrange to meet someone you've met online in person unless you discuss it with your parents and an adult goes with you. Number three: Do not open an email from someone you do not know as you may download viruses or it may have contents that can upset you. Also, many chain emails or emails with virus warnings are hoaxes. Before you forward virus warnings to your friends and family, check that it is not a hoax.

Number four: Choose a gender-neutral online name in a chat room to avoid harassment. Number five: Talk with your parents about rules for going online. Decide upon the time of day that you can be online, the length of time you can be online, and appropriate sites for you to visit.

source:http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-articles/internet-safety-tips-for-kids-101-internet-safety-tips-for-kids-2670161.html

Deputies Offer Tips to Keep Kids from Sexting, Other Cyber Threats

“Sexting” and sexual predators trolling for new victims are just some of the dangers that children face when they cruise the Internet, Orange County sheriff's reserve deputies warned local parents Thursday.Sgt. Josh Money and Lt. Jim Ellis presented an adults-only Internet safety course at Capistrano Valley Christian School and encouraged parents to keep tabs on their kids' Internet and phone use. The topics ranged from sexting—a combination of sex and texting, usually in the form of explicit photos—to identity theft to bullying.

“Our purpose was to first train the parents, and then we’ll start working with the kids, as young as second grade. We wanted to get the parents ahead of the curve,” said Jayson Beck, who is in charge of information technology for Capistrano Valley Christian. The night's presentation is the first step in implementing a new Cyber Citizenship program at the school.

Parents “don’t have to have a degree in information technology” to figure out what their kids are up to, so Money offered suggestions.

They can use the drop-down feature of the URL bar of the Internet browser or check the history to see where previous users have been. If a child has been on the Internet for two hours yet the history has been erased, that’s a sign parents should take heed that their child is hiding something, Money said.Besides talking with children, monitoring their texts—when they’re in the shower is the safest time to do that—and explaining the dangers, parents can also use their router to control Internet access to all of the home's devices, including game consoles such as Xbox and PlayStation that can also Web surf.

Going to the router manufacturer’s Home page and logging in will enable the administrator to block specific websites, set up hours of operation and more, Money said. In a residential setting, it’s important that parents are that administrator, even if their children are much more computer-savvy.The deputies presented many statistics from various sources, including a statistic from a January 2009 survey from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy that found one in five teens have sent suggestive photos.

While teens percieve sexting to be just like flirting, it is illegal for children under 18 to take naked or half-naked pictures of themselves. With that first act, they are violating the law. The recipient of the photo is also breaking the law.

“The average sexter assumes their dirty message or revealing photo is only going to be seen by one person," Money said

It’s often the girls who are hurt when their boyfriend forwards the photos to all his friends—even to his phone’s entire contact list, he said.

Beck said there are even websites available for spurned boyfriends to upload of their ex-girlfriends. So just because a boy doesn’t forward the photos immediately doesn’t mean they won’t end up for public viewing eventually.

“Most of the girls,” said Money, “if you ask them why do you do this, a lot of them will say [it’s] pressure from the boys.”

Girls can lack the maturity to figure out when someone is a sexual predator, Money said. These men will often pose as teens and are willing to chat online for months to build trust. They will either ask to meet or figure out where the girl is when she innocently posts a “Headed-out-to-the-movies” status on Facebook or tweet a similar post to Twitter.Photographs taken with a smart phone are also a danger (see video), Money said. They contain metadata that, when used with decoding and map apps, can pinpoint exactly where they were taken.

The term for it is “geo-tagging,” Money said. It can lead sexual predators right to children’s homes, schools, even their favorite hangouts. For adults, coupled with posts such as, “On vacation for three weeks,” there an invitation to an empty house, vulnerable to theft.

source:http://sanjuancapistrano.patch.com/articles/deputies-offer-tips-to-keep-kids-from-sexting-other-cyber-threats

Children Safety On The Web

The Internet exposes children to a whole new world which can contribute greatly to their education and can be very enjoyable.In our dynamic technological world where knowledge is power, parents want their children to surf the Internet, and learn as much as they can. With this wish there is also the desire to protect our children.The growth in Internet popularity is followed by a growth in immoral and criminal activities on the web. Hackers, crackers, web bullies, identity thieves, children predators all of them and more are out there in the cyber world.Since this generation of children possess high technological skills, the main problem that parents face is the need to create boundaries for their children in a virtual world where the authenticity of communication is questionable. In order to protect our children and educate them to safe and productive internet activities we should become Internet savvy and get familiar with our children's Internet experience.

Following are a few general guidelines:

1. Keep the communication channels with your child open. Show an interest in your child's internet activities. Supervise your child when surfing the Internet. It is important to try to understand your children experience when surfing the web, in order for you to guide and assist them.

2. Be a role model to your child. Constantly talk with your child on what is right and what is wrong when surfing the web.

3. Become Internet savvy. If you have knowledge about services and applications that are available on the Internet , you will be more effective when guiding your children. Sit with your children when they are surfing and try to learn as much you can about their habits. If you feel you don't have enough knowledge you can use Internet security websites in order to gain more knowledge and confidence. In addition, you can also talk with other parents.

4. Create a list of suitable websites. Give your children a list of websites that you find suitable for their age and that may interest them. Update this list on a regular basis with new websites in order to keep your kids interested. Once in a while, check if the websites you have selected are still suitable.

5. Make sure that the PC your child is using is in a family space , so you can supervise them.

6. Define clear guidelines for your children regarding Internet use. Different families may have different guidelines, but it is important that your children are aware of what you expect from them. Define the guidelines according to the child's age group. You can also define an Internet use policy that your child will be obligated to .

source:http://www.articlesbase.com/parenting-articles/children-safety-on-the-web-963484.html
 

How To Protect Your Child Against The Evil Side Of The Internet

In the world today, there are many people who take advantage of children. It used to be that we had to worry about predators in parks and playgrounds, and in our neighborhoods. In today's society, we now have to watch and protect them from online predators.Statistics indicate that children who use the Internet often are targeted by online predators more often because they can disguise themselves as same age as the child using the Internet. There are however, guidelines for parents to follow in order to protect their children from the dangerous side of the Internet. 

Internet Safety

Children are extremely vulnerable to Internet predators because they are by nature very trusting. It is important that you teach them safety protocol. It is important that they understand that under no circumstances should they ever give out their personal information on the Internet, and explain to them why these precautions are necessary.

Protect Your Passwords

It is critical that you limit your child's access to certain Internet sites. One way to do this is to password protect your computer and under no circumstances give those passwords to your children. Most children will share passwords with their friends and it defeats the purpose of having them. Passwords will also alert you when your children use the Internet, and you can keep a better watch over what they are doing. They will not be able to sneak on the computer when you are sleeping or at work because they will not know what the passwords are.

Monitor Computer Time

It is very important that you monitor what your children are doing online. Tell your child what is appropriate and what is not. Warn them of the dangers of online communication. Sit your child and watch what they do and say online. More importantly, watch what is said to them. If you are suspicious, keep a log of what is said and contact the local authorities.

Block Access
Blocking access to sites that are not appropriate will go a long way in protecting your child. Many Internet providers provide tools that will allow you to better control your child's time on the Internet. Using parental controls to protect your children is advisable to all parents. With them, you can set the parameters to keep your children safe. With parental controls, you block sites and chat rooms that you feel may be unsafe for your children.

Parental Controls

Parental controls are a great resource for parents in the fight to keep children safe. However, it is not a parental replacement or babysitter. Studies have shown that parents who have direct involvement in their child's Internet use have fewer incidents of predatory harassment.

Kid Safe Browsers

Because of the growing problem of online predators, safeguards have been developed. Kid safe browsers are specifically made for children and do not allow certain keyword searches to be performed.

It may be difficult to explain why these precautions are necessary without scaring your child, however, being cautious is very important when it comes to online safety. Some children are willful and will give their information anyway. This is when it is necessary to restrict their online activity altogether until they are more responsible.

source:http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/how-to-protect-your-child-against-the-evil-side-of-the-internet-246381.html

Internet Safety Tips From Toronto Police

Internet safety

Risks

There are many risks and security issues involving the use of the Internet. Children and their parents should be most concerned about:

Viewing inappropriate material

Physical molestation

Harassment

Frauds and Scams

Tips for kids

NEVER give out any personal information such as your address, telephone number, parents' place of work or their phone number, or the name and location of your school

NEVER agree to get together with someone you 'meet' online without first checking with your parents

NEVER send anyone your picture - Don't accept any pictures either

NEVER respond to any messages that make you feel uncomfortable

NEVER lose your common sense while online - Remember, you are talking to a stranger. The people you are talking to may not be who they say they are

NEVER send an insulting or rude message to anyone online. 'Flaming' is not good 'Netiquette'

Use a 'code name'

Report any harassment or inappropriate messages to your online service and to the Police

Set your browser to say NO to 'cookies'

Tips for parents

Learn about what your child is doing on the Internet - Know what Web Sites they are visiting, know what type of chat rooms, e-mail, and messages your child is involved in online

Find out about Filtering Software that is available to block out objectionable material

Set reasonable guidelines for computer use by your children - monitor the amount of time spent on the computer and when

Keep computer usage as a family activity by putting the computer in a family room rather than in the child's bedroom

Ensure your child does not give out personal information. Have them use a 'code name'

Be wary of any offers that involve your child going to a meeting or having someone visit your home - Remember that people may not be who they seem

source:http://www.globaltvedmonton.com/Internet+safety+tips+from+Toronto+Police/4545428/story.html

Computer Monitoring Software

If you are seriously interested in understanding computer monitoring, you need to think beyond the basics. This informative article takes a closer look at things you need to know computer monitoring.You may not consider everything you just read to be crucial information about computer monitoring. But do not be surprised if you find yourself recalling and using this very information in the next few days.With advances in technology today, when it comes to software for monitoring children, whatether parents want - is likely to be available! As the popularity and the need for increased monitoring software, makes the need for a reliable source of information on software, including the various functions that are available to parents today.

Parents should keep an eye on their children all day - not only when they do not work. One reason is computer programs, which is gaining popularity because parents cannot physically be at their house to watch a child or teen when they are online. Most parents have jobs and this means that they cannot always be present when their children out of school. Thus, today more and more parents are turning to software tracking than ever!

Keyloggers can also monitor keystrokes, thus, and can actually send you by e-mail so you know, when someone wrote a chosen keyword. It is commonly known as remote access, and it can really help you monitor your children when you are away, and also see what your employees are in place when you can be outside the office or traveler.

Looking Up recorder essential services, Internet services and parental oversight of online monitoring, you can access a range of different services that are able to meet all your monitoring needs. A careful examination of the features offered and the cost can help you decide on the most convenient service. Once you've chosen the right product to download online, you just have a few minute for installation and you are on your way to understand precisely what others are when online.

source:http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/computer-monitoring-software-4333340.html

We Need To Teach Our Kids To Be Tech Savy While Staying Safe

Kids and technology can be a scary combination, and parents are striving to find the right balance between independence and protection for their children.The dangers of technology are well known. “Sex” and “porn” are the fourth and sixth most popular search terms by children on the Internet, according to a study done by Symantec, creators of the Norton online family software.Parents legitimately worry about sexting, texting with strangers, posting of personal information on social networks, online bullying and viewing sexually explicit, violent, or hate-filled material.One of the greatest fears of parents is that their children will be abused by an online sexual predator. The Youth Internet Safety Survey found that 4 percent of kids 10-17 years of age received aggressive unwarranted sexual solicitations on the Internet.When these teens did meet in person with a stranger, in 95 percent of the cases, the sexual contact was “consensual” between a vulnerable teen and a manipulative adult.

The thought that our teen may be exploited by an online stranger is terrifying to any parent. We need to alert our kids to the risks of online contacts, but also want to be careful not to exaggerate the problem and lose credibility.In response to these risks, it seems that more parents are employing surveillance as the way to keep their kids safe. They monitor their teen’s cell phone texts, emails and Internet sites. They covertly install software that records every keystroke on their child’s computer.

“My primary job is to keep my kids safe when they are under my care. When they go off to college, they are on their own,” proclaimed one parent.Here’s the dilemma. You want to keep your kids secure, but you also need to teach them how to become responsible and educated technological citizens when you are not there to monitor their every keystroke or track their every movement with a GPS device.I’ll readily admit that I’m as confused as the parents I counsel, and my advice keeps changing in response to recent research.

Here’s what I think I know at this point.Except in extraordinary circumstances, never covertly monitor your child’s behavior. It destroys trust and credibility.Keep computers in a public setting at least through junior high.If you allow your child to join a social network, make certain that you have complete access to their site.Most importantly, talk lots about this stuff with your kids. Don’t preach, but ask questions and seek their opinions. Remember that your job is to teach them the skills to stay safe when they are not under our care.

source:http://www.daytondailynews.com/lifestyle/ohio-health-news/we-need-to-teach-our-kids-to-be-tech-savy-while-staying-safe-1118722.html

Preventing Children From Viewing Unsafe Content

The computer has opened the doors to the many types of things which can be done either online or offline. As such, there may be no specific way for parents to know what their children are doing online. Today, websites amount to the thousands of millions on the Internet, so it’s obvious, preventing children from viewing all sorts of stuffs can be very difficult.Some parents are strict with their children about using the Internet as they are aware about how their habits and lifestyles can be changed. On the other hand, other parents do not exert this authority, hence allowing children to view what they want on the Internet.if you want to monitor your kids' activity on the internet. What you need are the right tools and processes to ensure that your kids' internet experience is enjoyable and most of all, safe.

 While some parents allow their children a computer in their bedroom, others prefer the living room. The bedroom represents privacy, so children can be tempted to do as they wish. Alternately, the living room is a very accessible place, hence preventing children from viewing stuffs such as adult content on the Internet.

If you have already explained your children about the various things that they can see on the Internet which does not suit their age, then it depends on how much you trust them. Some children might tell you they have never seen or been to unsafe sites while others will simply lie to you. Some children easily lie to their parents because of the latter’s ignorance in Internet issues. Fortunately, even if you cannot stop your children to view all the negative websites, there are ways to limit the sites they can access. Security levels are available and can be installed on web browsers to prevent children from visiting improper websites.

With the advent of Windows Vista, Microsoft has enhanced the operating system’s security level. So, this means that children may find it hard to access all sorts of websites while they surf the web. A great thing parents can do is to create their personal account on their children’s computer. Every time the children want to use their computer, they have to request their parents for the username and the password which remains secret. You as the parent must make sure that you have the highest control on the computer to better monitor your children.

With an administrator account, you will be able to know what your children have been doing online and what sites they have accessed. Also, you will have the ability to see what files your children have saved or worked with. In brief, you will have an overview about how your children are using their computer. Besides, letting your children aware that you will be keeping an eye on them, they may most probably feel reluctant to see and do unsafe things on their computer.

Another good way to know what your children are doing is to frequently have a look at the history. The computer will always keep a history about the things which have been done during the day, unless the children delete them. For this reason, having full control over the computer is imperative.

source:http://www.articlesbase.com/teenagers-articles/preventing-children-from-viewing-unsafe-content-541356.html

Information On Internet Safety for Kids Age 14-17 Years Old

Kids at this age start to exercise full freedom and independence. Sometimes, they try new things in order to test their capacity. But still, they lack the experience to judge things the right way and must be guided in areas where they are likely to commit mistakes, including the use of the internet.
Internet threats to Kids Age 14-17 Years Old

Kids at this age play online games, download music, and shop online. Most boys of this age engage in online gambling, look at explicit adult sites, gore, violence, and adult humor. Both boys and girls enter chat rooms and engage in private chats or use instant messaging like Yahoo! Messenger or MSN Messenger.

They are more welcome to accommodate online acquaintances and build relationships online that would possibly end up in a real-life meeting. They are more prone to receive pornographic spam and will likely end up clicking links that contain explicit material. They can easily be persuaded to join online contests and fill out forms that ask for personal information.

These may not seem to be a danger for them since they "are just trying out new things." But these are the things that you should watch out for.

Internet Safety for Kids:

Kids at this age start to exercise full freedom and independence. Sometimes, they try new things in order to test their capacity. But still, they lack the experience to judge things the right way and must be guided in areas where they are likely to commit mistakes, including the use of the internet.

Internet threats to Kids Age 14-17 Years Old

Kids at this age play online games, download music, and shop online. Most boys of this age engage in online gambling, look at explicit adult sites, gore, violence, and adult humor. Both boys and girls enter chat rooms and engage in private chats or use instant messaging like Yahoo! Messenger or MSN Messenger.

They are more welcome to accommodate online acquaintances and build relationships online that would possibly end up in a real-life meeting. They are more prone to receive pornographic spam and will likely end up clicking links that contain explicit material. They can easily be persuaded to join online contests and fill out forms that ask for personal information.

These may not seem to be a danger for them since they "are just trying out new things." But these are the things that you should watch out for.

Safety tips:

•    Keep the internet-connected computer outside their bedrooms

•    Create a rule on how to properly use the internet. Set a time where they can access the internet. Make sure they follow it.

•    If they are using the instant messaging, ask them on discuss their friends on the list. Tell them not to talk to strangers. Tell them to enter friendly and moderated chat rooms only.

•    Encourage them to talk to you about the people they meet online.

•    Tell them not to trust anyone online.

•    Set firewall or filtering software so that they can't access websites that contain explicit materials such as violence and pornography.

•    Remind your kids on the risks that online gambling may bring.

•    Tell them not to give up any personal information such as names, addresses, and bank account numbers.

•    Teach your kids to check with you first whenever they make online financial transactions including selling and buying online.

•    Tell your kids to exercise ethical behavior online and not to engage in fights and bullying.

•    Tell your kids not to open junk mails or download attachments from unknown senders.

source:http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/information-on-internet-safety-for-kids-age-1417-years-old-1039110.html

Keeping Teenage Girls Off Dangerous Websites

Like most teenage girls, Hannah Black and her friends love to check their Facebook pages and post photos.But one day, one of Black's friends was brutally attacked online."They were making up rumors about her, calling her a whore, saying she was ugly and she wasn't pretty and no one should like her and no one does like her," Black said."Here, this beautiful, smart, intelligent, well-rounded young girl being sexually harassed and taunted at every turn," said Black's father, Sam Black.
Besides being the father of a teenage girl, Black is an Internet safety professional.He knows first hand what dangers lurk online for teen girls."Body image, sexualization of women and girls, cyber bullying," he said. "All these things can play out on the Internet."Michele Borba, author of the "Big Book of Parenting Solutions," says while sites may post rules against bullying or harassing, not all teens follow them."There are a number of new sites that look like they're harmless, but are actually teaching our girls very, very vicious lifestyle changes," Borba said.

"Formspring is one of the new kinds of websites that looks like a social network that is popping up online for our daughters," Borba said. "It looks tame enough. But once they log on, what it actually encourages instead is to send vicious notes toward one another in an anonymous nature."Formspring.com said in an e-mail that they take safety and privacy seriously and have developed practices for blocking inappropriate content.The people behind Formspring say they're developing more tools for a safer online experience. For example, all questions sent to Formspring stay in a private inbox until a member responds.

But experts say social networking sites aren't the only types that raise concern.There are new online games where teens create and play highly-sexualized characters. "If you earn a certain amount of points in life, you can even buy yourself a sugar daddy," Borba said. "Totally unhealthy and you do not want your daughters in any part of it."Then there are the websites that promote anorexia and bulimia with photographs of frail and skinny models and step-by-step "tutorials."

"Specific directions on how to purge, how to purchase diet pills and it is doing damage," Borba said. "Stanford University found that 96 percent of girls who are anorexic learned a lot of their eating habits on those sites."So how can parents keep kids off potentially dangerous websites? They should invest in parental control software and monitor their teen's online history.They can also do Google searches on their kid's full name to see if anything comes up.A walk by to see if they abruptly stop as they're online is also a good idea.Finally, they should take the time to get Internet savvy. It could make all the difference in their daughter's life.

"You need to step up to the plate," Borba said. "You need to monitor because we're raising our children in a tough world."

source:http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/national_world&id=8000536

Children Safety Online - Internet Safety Tips For Kids

Children Safety Online is threatened from different angles, but with my Internet Safety Tips for kids you can guarantee them a safe web surfing. Internet is full of websites with inappropriate content for the eyes of our innocent kids. And they are easy victims to sexual predators and pedophiles while chatting online. But you are only a few steps away to be absolutely carefree while your kids are surfing the web. Just follow these tips.
Tip 1 - Restrict their online access
To make sure that your children only see what is appropriate for them, you have to restrict their online access. With a filtering software you can decide, which content your web browser will show and which not. You can block specific URL's or web pages that contain certain keywords or phrases in general.

Tip 2 - Monitor their Internet activities
A monitoring software gives you direct access to all of your kid's online activities. Captured screen shots allow you to get log in detail for their email and social network account. They record every single word your children exchange in chat and instant messaging as well.

Tip 3 - Get a Parental Internet Control Software
With this software you get all the features to follow Tip 1 and Tip 2. A Parental Internet Control Software allows you to watch over your children's shoulder at every time and as soon as you see something suspicious or dangerous, you can react immediately, search the discussion and protect your kids from further damage.

If you want more detailed information about Children Safety Online, read this article too. You will find other links there to information about Parental Internet Control Software as well as a complete Parental Control Software Review and a Review about the best product on the market.

That children surf the web a few hours a day is nothing unusual. But did you ever think about what they are doing exactly, which web sites they visit and to whom they are chatting to? We want to give our children all the liberty they can afford, but for all of its virtues, Internet is a dangerous playground for our youngster.

Did you know, that 12%, (4.2 million...) of all websites are pornographic websites? Or did you know, that 1 out of 5 children between 11 and 17 years of age in the US are sexually harassed at least once while chatting online? I was shocked when I read this information! I started to research about Internet threats, the possibilities to protect children online and the different existing Parental Internet Control Softwares.

Now I would like to help other parents to protect their children too. You can find several short articles about the topic by visiting safe websurfing for kids. Check it out and learn how to protect your children while they are surfing the web.

source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Children-Safety-Online---Internet-Safety-Tips-For-Kids&id=2485801

Monitoring Software For Parents and Families

As a parent I am always acutely aware of my actions towards my teenagers. Getting in the way of their self autonomy and self confidence can arrest their selfhood. I know my kids need direction, but knowing when to act and when to let them stand on their own is often a dilemma. I have found using a monitoring software can greatly increase your control over the safety of your children on the internet.Clearly not allowing your kids to use the internet is not a good thing to do, because despite the dangers, the internet is an exceptional learning tool. Dis advantaging your children by removing their computer is obviously a mistake. To gain the protection and peace of mind for me and my wife, we found the most interesting solution is a monitoring software.
This type of software can be installed on your childs computer and with a simple keyboard shortcut that you have to remember, you can make it invisible and then re appear again for settings or editing. You can also have logs sent remotely so you get real time monitoring while you are at work. It only takes a second to look at the most recent log to find out which website they are visiting and what they are doing and who they are talking to. This type of close monitoring is very useful and we will continue to do this until she is old enough to make her decisions online for herself without getting into trouble.

source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Monitoring-Software-For-Parents-and-Families&id=4134893

Keeping Kids Safe From Online Internet Dangers

The internet can be a valuable resource for children. They can use it to do research for school, to play interactive games, and to communicate with their friends and teachers. With one mouse click a window of information is at their disposal. Just how safe is the internet for kids? There is a down side to this multitude of online information. One could identify it as internet dangers. The web is a wide open forum for free expression. There is online content that children have access to most any parent would agree is inappropriate. Pornography and violent content are just to name a few of the hazards children can be exposed to online.

Any child with unrestricted Internet access can view adult pornographic images. Either intentionally or unintentionally, any computer literate child can view free teaser images posted by Internet "pornopreneurs". These are pictures posted on websites designed to solicit new subscribers. They could easily stumble across sites containing images from Playboy as well as porn prosecutable as obscenity. There are various ways that this can happen unintentionally. Through misdirected searches, a child can key in his or her favorite search terms and porn sites pop up along with the sites that were searched for. Innocent word searches such as "boy" or "toys" on popular search engines can lead a child to numerous inappropriate sites. Your child can type in legos, with one missed keystroke "leg" is entered and is directed to sites focused on legs- some of which contain porn. According to a recent study in England, 26 popular children's' characters such as My Little Pony and Action Men revealed thousands of links to porn sites .

There are many forms of violent and hateful content all over the internet. Hate promoters use the internet to look for vulnerable youth to attract to their community. There are sites which contribute to an online culture where cruelty to others is considered acceptable. Some impressionable kids move from sites where kids are mocked for their personal appearance to sites where minorities are attacked. The hate promoters may use misleading tactics by offering harmless activities, crafts, or links to other respected kids sites. For example, martinlutherking.org is a site which would appear to be a tribute to the civil rights leader but in fact is a hate site derived from a white supremacy organization.

Parents do their best to protect their children - that should include protecting them from internet dangers. There are some effective ways of protecting children from inappropriate content on the internet. Keep the lines of communication open with your kids - ask them to show you where they go online and what they like. Establish clear guidelines of what they can do on the internet. It's a good practice to keep connected computers in a highly visible area especially for kids under 10. Investigate online protection tools such as filtering software.

source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Keeping-Kids-Safe-From-Online-Internet-Dangers&id=4576741

Internet Safety - Internet Safety For Kids

What Internet sites did your childs access yesterday?

How much do you know about what your kids do on the Internet?

What safety setting do you have set on your computer and what setting does your child set on any social networking websites or chat rooms she uses?

Most parents want to protect their children and keep them from harm.If your child was going out on her own you would want to know where he was going and who he was going to be with. Why then do many parents not take the same care about knowing who their child is associating with on the Internet?

How much danger could your child be in when she uses chat rooms and social networking sites? What are the chances of your child being unsafe while accessing the Internet?

Thousands of youngsters today will be placing themselves in position where they could be at risk while using the Internet, how likely is that your child is one of these?

Be responsible for keeping your child safe and don't negate your responsibility.I was watching a television program this evening that demonstrated how much information an online predator could learn about a youngster just by persuading her to add them to their list of friends on a social networking site. He learnt about what she was doing on a daily basis and included bits of this information when he contacted her. It was really easy because she didn't have the privacy setting set on the social networking site she used. The predator learnt about her friends, school and other personal details by not only looking at her profile and chats but by looking at what her friends said also. When she went on a visit to a museum with her school he followed and approached her. It was amazing how much he learnt about her this way.

In the UK police receive 400-500 official reports a month from children and parents concerned about online abuse and the number is increasing.The police say "awareness is of critical importance". So be aware as to what your young person is doing on the Internet and who he's exchanging information with and who's contacting him.There is software you can use to monitor what your child is doing when he's on the Internet.

source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Internet-Safety---Internet-Safety-For-Kids&id=1208648

Invisible Key Logger Download For Your Protection

Invisible key logger download programs are perfect for protecting yourself, your business or your children. Let's say you need to protect your business... how would invisible key logger download programs do this? Perhaps you wish to cut down on employees who waste your valuable paid time on online casinos or chatting for hours with their internet friends on instant messengers. Maybe you suspect someone of embezzling funds or stealing account information and financial data on clients for ill gotten ends. Such a software tool can catch such people in the act and then you would have enough proof for termination.

What if you had a child who has a lot of online friends and says they have decided to meet one of them somewhere? Do you know who this person is, or anything about them? With an invisible key logger download you can monitor instant messages without being seen and can spot any telltale signs that these friends might not be who they say they are. Then you can discuss things with your child as to how to avoid certain types of people online, what behavior to watch out for, and so on.

What if you are trying to catch a cheating lover or spouse? Can you simply confront the person with mere suspicions? No, of course not... you'll need valid proof of misconduct in order to have any semblance of a successful confrontation about it. In any way that you may need to protect yourself, your business or your children, an invisible key logger download can be your very best bet.

source:http://ezinearticles.com/?Invisible-Key-Logger-Download-For-Your-Protection&id=2618117