A Family Guide To Using The Internet
The Internet can be a wonderful tool for children and
youth.
- Homework: Kids can use the most current news,
encyclopedias, and other source materials to find information for
research projects.
- Communication: Kids can use email and public
message boards to keep in touch with family and friends.
- Entertainment and education: Kids can use the
Internet to make a virtual visit to a museum, take a college course,
play games, etc.
But the Internet can also be dangerous. Here are some
things families can do to encourage today's computer-savvy young people to be
computer safe.
Using the Computer is a Family Affair
- Agree on a list of rules and post it by the computer. The rules should
cover how long children can spend on the Internet, how late they can surf
the Web, what they may and may not visit on the Web, and whether or not they
are allowed to make purchases over the Web. Have everyone in the household
sign an Internet pledge (see
www.safekids.com/kidsrules.htm).
- Talk to your kids. Keep the lines of communication open, and never blame
the victim! If a child tells you about an upsetting event experienced
online, don't blame him or her. How you react will affect how much he or she
shares with you in the future.
Meeting People Online
- As a general rule, children should never plan to meet anybody in person
whom they have encountered online. Explain that people met online may not be
how they say they are.
- When face-to-face meetings seem appropriate -- the person is a student
from a nearby school, for example -- the meeting should be arranged only
with your approval. It should be in a safe public place, and you or another
responsible adult should be present.
- Children should never give out personal information over the Internet.
They should use an online name (not their real name) and never reveal their
address, telephone number, or any identifying information.
- No pictures, letters, or telephone calls should be exchanged with online
acquaintances without your approval. Monitor such communications.
- If online acquaintances send your children email that makes them
uncomfortable or that they know is obscene, they should inform you at once.
The same applies to information they see on message boards or chat rooms.
Making Online Purchases
- Children need to learn to be savvy consumers. The term "free"
doesn't always mean free. Con artists use the term to attract more business.
The children should ask you before signing up for anything over the
Internet, even when signing up does not require a credit card number.
- Encourage an attitude of health skepticism toward websites that offer
prizes or giveaways. Chances are, all the child has "won" is the
opportunity to buy something he or she didn't want in the first place.
- Establish explicit rules for getting clearance for online purchases,
including documentation to be kept.
Following Links
- Consider using a family-safe or child-safe search engine or a filter,
blocking or ratings system. Some services have a "kids only"
section so you can be sure the children won't have access to questionable
material.
- Encourage your children to ask you to check out new sites with them.
- Be responsive and nonjudgmental if they tell you about an inappropriate
site they found accidentally.
Downloading from the Internet
The Internet has changed the way children do schoolwork. But they need to
realize that information they find on the Internet is not all free. Be sure they
understand the following:
- Teachers can easily determine if an assignment -- or even one paragraph of
an assignment -- has been downloaded from the Internet instead of written by
the student.
- Children must rewrite and paraphrase, not just copy material from the
Internet. They must always include proper citations when they are using
other people's work.
- It is against the law to copy or download some types of information or
music from the Internet without permission.
Problems? Report Them!
Internet-related crime should be reported. Consult the following authorities:
Information
provided by the National Crime Prevention Council
www.ncpc.org
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