Internet Safety Tips for Students

• DO tell an adult if someone online harasses you or wants to talk about sex.
   
• DO cut off contact with anyone who pressures you for your personal information (name, age, size, photo, address, family information).
   
• DO be careful of strangers who try to turn you against your family while promising to be your best friend (they may send you gifts and give you lots of compliments, but at the same time, they are possessive of your time and critical of your parents.)
   
• Do NOT exchange pictures with strangers through the Internet.
   
• Do NOT open e-mails/instant messages or download attachments from people you don't know.
   
• Do NOT fill out forms providing personal information to win free stuff.
   
• Do NOT go to meet someone you don't already know in real life.

 

Internet Safety Tips for Parents

• Monitor your child's Internet use consistently. This is not a violation of your child's privacy; this is a safeguarding measure and part of your responsibility as a parent.
   
• If your child belongs to a social networking site (MySpace, Facebook, Tagged, Xanga, etc), look closely at what information they have posted in their member profiles and blogs, including photos and videos. Predators, bullies, profanity, and threats often occur in these types of sites.
   
• Find out what other websites your child's social networking site is linked to. Sometimes your child's web pages may be safe but they may be linked to a site which could endanger them (a pornographic site, a site in which a friend mentions your child's phone number, a site slandering school administrators).
   
• 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?).
   
• Explain that your kids should: NEVER give out personal information (name, address, phone, school name), NEVER meet anyone from online without your permission, NEVER open emails from unknown senders, and NEVER share their photo with strangers over the Internet. Shared photos are an easy way for a predator to find a child or modify your child's image for pornographic use.
   
• Encourage your children to bring anything strange or upsetting to your attention and don't overreact when they do (fear of losing Internet privileges is why kids don't tell parents about problems - and why they may start surfing the web somewhere else).
   
• Stay in touch with your kid's online activities. Know who their online friends are (and who is on their buddy list), just as you would their other friends.
   
• Learn how filtering and monitoring software can assist you in protecting your children (check with your Internet service provider to find out if filtering or monitoring is available for free with your provider). However, don't rely completely on software to protect your children. Education and parental involvement are the primary methods of prevention.
   
• Internet accounts should always be in the parent's name. The parent should maintain the primary email account and be in charge of all passwords and parental controls. Kids should never share their passwords with anyone other than their parents.
   
• Notify the police if someone your child met online starts calling them, sending gifts, or trying to lure them from home.
   
• Check your credit card statements each month for unusual charges that may indicate that a stranger or your child is making unauthorized purchases.
   
• Don't think of the Internet as a babysitter. Kids on the Internet need adult supervision. Keep the computer in a public area of the house.
   
• Be aware of "Text Message Jargon."