HOW TO PROTECT YOUR CHILD FROM INTERNET

HOW YOU PROTECT YOUR CHILD FORM INTERNET’S POTENTIAL DANGERS

Talk to your children about internet, both the positive and the potential dangers.

Be aware of the computer the child might be using, be it the family desktop, or the PC at school, or a laptop they might have access to.

Keep computers in an open area like a passageway or the living room. This way, the patent can keep an eye on what is happening and supervision is easily possible.

Know more about the internet. The parent should know not just the basics of the internet but much more. Visit child-friendly websites and bookmark them for the child to access easily.

Know the various chat rooms and chat programs available on the net.

Activate all the “Safe Search” options in Google, Yahoo! etc. to prevent the child from being exposed to objectionable content.

Install parent control software. Many operating systems (such as Windows 7) and personal antivirus applications (like Kasper-sky) have parent control modules. However, also consider specific parental control software like Netnanny or Kidswatch because these are more intuitive.

Instruct the child to never give out any information on the internet irrespective of the simplicity of the information, such as city or locality. If someone asks for information, ask the child to inform the parent or a trusted adult.

Never respond to an unsubscribe option on a spam email. 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 ISP, and ask for assistance.

Internet account should be in the parent’s name with parents having the primary screen name, controlling passwords and using blocking and/or filtering devices.

Children should not complete a profile for a service provider and children’s screen names should not identify the profile as that of a child.

Talk to parents of your child’s friends in order to gain better understanding of what the children might be doing in net.

Teach children not to open mail from someone they don’t know.

Talk the children about what to do if they see something that makes them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused. Remind children to tell a trusted adult if they see something that bothers them online.

Never allow your children to meet someone from an online session without parent approval.

It is important to let one’s children explore and learn from the internet but equally, one needs to keep one’s loved ones safe…………..