The Internet is a powerful learning tool for kids - when used wisely

While the Internet offers children many wonderful benefits for learning and communicating, it also poses dangers.
Meeting an offender online ranks among the worst threats children face today - but there are other serious concerns, such as the accessibility to fascist or pornographic content, and even sites promoting illicit drugs.
Loss of privacy is another big risk, especially on social networking sites.
Help kids guard their own personal information and that of their family and friends by considering these five guidelines.

  1. Monitor your children's use of the Internet

    Put the computer in a high-traffic family area and limit night-time use, so you can keep an eye on your children's online activities. If you have young children, you may want to navigate the Internet with them. For older kids, agree on where they can and can't go before they log on.

  2. Fortify your computer with strong security software and make sure to keep it up-to-date

    McAfee® Internet Security filters offensive content, pictures, and websites. It enables you to set Internet time limits for each child, block specific websites, and prevent transmission of personal information such as credit card numbers, addresses etc.

  3. Educate your kids about the need to protect privacy online

    Make sure kids understand the basic rules for using social networking sites and blogs. They should guard their passwords, and never post personally identifying information or inappropriate photos. Kids should share information only with people they know from the real world. Don't allow kids to fill out online forms or surveys.

  4. It's imperative that your kids let you know if they arrange in-person meetings with people they meet online

    Before any such meeting, you should confirm the person's identity, and you should accompany your child to the meeting in a public place.

  5. Use browsers for kids and kid-oriented search engines

    Google's SafeSearch blocks web pages containing explicit sexual content from appearing in search results. The Google Preference page lets you set your preferred level of filtering. There are also a number of browsers specifically designed for children that can be downloaded from Internet.