Internet is highly accessible to anyone who has computer at home, including your child. It is important to teach your child internet safety in relation to posting personal information, chatting with friends, meeting people or playing games. The following are some tips for parents to educate their children on internet safety:
Psychological Aspect
- Encourage your child to share their Internet experiences with you.
- Inform your child to tell you anything that they feel uncomfortable about on the Internet.
- Teach your child that the difference between right and wrong is the same on the Internet as it is in real life.
- Encourage them to ask you if they're not sure.
- Teach your child that not everything they read or see online is true.
Personal Information
- If your child visit chat rooms, use instant messaging (IM) programs, online games, or other activities on the Internet that require a login name to identify themselves, help them choose that name and make sure it doesn't reveal any personal information about them.
- Do not allow them to post pictures of themselves or family members.
- Insist that your child never give out your address, phone number, or other personal information, including where they go to school or where they like to play.
- Never give out password or credit card number to anyone.
- Never accept gift offers or accept invitations to your house.
Cyber Friends
- Tell your child that they should never meet online friends in person.
- Explain that online friends may not be who they say they are.
Parental Control
- Control your children's online activity with advanced Internet software.
- Parental controls can help you filter out harmful content, monitor the sites your child visits, and find out what they do there.
Copyright
- Insist that your child respect the property of others online. Explain that making illegal copies of other people's work —music, video games, and other programs—is just like stealing it from a store.
Cyber Ethics
- Show your child how to respect others online. Make sure they know that rules for good behavior don't change just because they're on a computer.
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