See video about myspace and social sites.
Frontline
Also see:
Parent-Child agreement
for use of the internet, chat, and instant messages.
Rules for Online Safety
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1. I will not give out personal
information such as my address, telephone number, parents' work address/telephone number,
or the name and location of my school without my parents' permission.
2. I will tell my parents right away
if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable.
3. I will never agree to get together
with someone I "meet" online without first checking with my parents. If my
parents agree to the meeting, I will be sure that it is in a public place and bring my
mother or father along.
4. I will never send a person my
picture or anything else without first checking with my parents.
5. I will not respond to any messages
that are mean or in any way makes me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a
message like that. If I do, I will tell my parents right away so that they can contact the
online service.
6. I will talk with my parents so
that we can set up rules for going online. We will decide upon the time of day that I can
be online, the length of time I can be online, and appropriate areas for me to visit. I
will not access other areas or break these rules without their permission.
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How Parents Can Reduce the Risks
To help restrict your child's access
to discussions, forums, or bulletin boards that contain inappropriate material, whether
textual or graphic, many of the commercial online services and some private bulletin
boards have systems in place for parents to block out parts of the service they feel are
inappropriate for their children. If you are concerned, you should contact the service via
telephone or E-mail to find out how you can add these restrictions to any accounts that
your children can access.
The Internet and some private
bulletin boards contain areas designed specifically for adults who wish to post, view, or
read sexually explicit material. Most private bulletin board operators who post such
material limit access to people who attest that they are adults but, like any other
safeguards, be aware that there are always going to be cases where adults fail to enforce
them or children find ways around them.
The best way to assure that your
children are having positive online experiences is to stay in touch with what they are
doing. One way to do this is to spend time with your children while they're online. Have
them show you what they do and ask them to teach you how to access the services.
While children and teenagers need a
certain amount of privacy, they also need parental involvement and supervision in their
daily lives. The same general parenting skills that apply to the "real world"
also apply while online.
If you have cause for concern about
your children's online activities, talk to them. Also seek out the advice and counsel of
other computer users in your area and become familiar with literature on these systems.
Open communication with your children, utilization of such computer resources, and getting
online yourself will help you obtain the full benefits of these systems and alert you to
any potential problem that may occur with their use.
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Guidelines for Parents
By taking responsibility for your
children's online computer use, parents can greatly minimize any potential risks of being
online.
Make it a family rule to:
1. Never give out identifying
information - home address, school name, or telephone number - in a public message such as
chat or bulletin boards, and be sure you're dealing with someone that both you and your
child know and trust before giving it out via E-mail. Think carefully before revealing any
personal information such as age, marital status, or financial information. Consider using
a pseudonym or unlisting your child's name if your service allows it.
2. Get to know the services your
child uses. If you don't know how to log on, get your child to show you. Find out what
types of information it offers and whether there are ways for parents to block out
objectionable material.
3. Never allow a child to arrange a
face-to-face meeting with another computer user without parental permission. If a meeting
is arranged, make the first one in a public spot, and be sure to accompany your child.
4. Never respond to messages or
bulletin board items that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, threatening, or make you
feel uncomfortable. Encourage your children to tell you if they encounter such messages.
If you or your child receives a message that is harassing, of a sexual nature, or
threatening, forward a copy of the message to your service provider and ask for their
assistance.
5. Should you become aware of the
transmission, use, or viewing of child pornography while online, immediately report this
to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-843-5678. You
should also notify your online service.
6. Remember that people online may
not be who they seem. Because you can't see or even hear the person it would be easy for
someone to misrepresent him- or herself. Thus, someone indicating that "she" is
a "12-year-old girl" could in reality be a 40-year-old man.
7. Remember that everything you read
online may not be true. Any offer that's "too good to be true" probably is. Be
very careful about any offers that involve your coming to a meeting or having someone
visit your house.
8. Set reasonable rules and
guidelines for computer use by your children (see "My Rules for Online Safety"
as a sample of specific guidelines you can set for your children). Discuss these rules and
post them near the computer as a reminder. Remember to monitor their compliance with these
rules, especially when it comes to the amount of time your children spend on the computer.
A child or teenager's excessive use of online services or bulletin boards, especially late
at night, may be a clue that there is a potential problem. Remember that personal
computers and online services should not be used as electronic babysitters.
9. Be sure to make this a family
activity. Consider keeping the computer in a family room rather than the child's bedroom.
Get to know their "online friends" just as you get to know all of their other
friends.
