Security - Safety For Kids

Where anti-virus software, firewalls and encryption may be keeping out some types of threat, others can find their way right into your home. Sometimes, just through our lack of awareness, they can be invited right in. Security awareness is the key to protecting yourself, and your family.

The ‘Internet Age’ has brought about a revolution in the way we all live, work, and play. It has brought images and events from every corner of the world, as they happen. For the most part, the Internet is a great learning experience, but there is also a dark side.

The Internet has removed the need for a criminal to be in close proximity to a victim in order to commit a crime. This allows them to solicit or commit crime from a safe distance, even from another country. As society has changed, it has become necessary to ensure that we know where our kids are, who they are with, and what they are doing, pretty much ALL of the time. This is unlikely to change.

We can‘t be with them every minute of the day, but we can try our best to ensure they are ‘streetwise’ when they go out into the world. Applying some of the same ‘streetwise’ logic to their Internet use will help to ensure that your kids are more aware of the threats that are out there. They will be able to exercise their own judgment, and they will know how to respond, at the times when you can’t be there.

Educate yourself about the Internet as the first step to protecting your child, and lead by example. Be flexible, and if the rules you have put in place are not working, don’t be afraid to change them, and keep changing them until they do.
Keep your computer in an open location so that Internet use can be supervised. A kitchen or living room is preferable to a bedroom. If you already have the computer in a bedroom, or if you have a wireless connection that allows your kids to roam all over the house, try to negotiate a solution. If your kids don’t want you around when they are on the computer, be around. Find out why.
Agree on some general rules for Internet use, such as hours of use, which web sites are allowed, and which ones are not.
Kids always have lots of questions. Be patient, and if you don’t know all the answers don’t worry, it’s not the end of the world. Find the answers together.
Ensure that your kids understand that they should NEVER give out information that can identify any family member, and try to explain why. This would include the obvious; names, addresses, phone numbers, passwords, or credit card numbers. There are others that are not so obvious, such as which school they go to, where they do sports, who their friends are, or even where they like to hang out.
If they are participating in some activity online, such as a game or chat room, encourage them to use a nickname that does not reveal anything, not even if they are a boy or girl. Help them to choose a suitable nickname or email address.
NEVER allow your kids to post photos of themselves, their family or their friends, on the web, or to enable a webcam that is sending images directly onto the Internet from your home. Take some to time to explain why.
Explain to your kids why meeting someone they have met online is not safe. Be firm, but try to educate, not punish.
Try not to use the Internet as a babysitter. Whenever you have time, try to sit with your kids at the computer and see what they are doing, and which sites they are visiting. If you don’t make time to teach your kids they will find out from their friends. If you don’t have the Internet at home, they can get access at a friends house, at school, Internet café, or in any public library. Make some time.
Talk to your kids about ethical, responsible behavior online, and explain why they should not send insulting or threatening messages to anyone. Bullying has now moved out of the playground and it can take the form of threatening text messages, email and phone calls that can follow your kids home. If necessary, change the phone number or email address, but if the problem persists get help.
Teach your kids that ‘don’t talk to strangers’ applies on the Internet, just as much as on the street. The threat is not as clear in the comfort of your own home, but the danger can be just as real.
Encourage your kids to tell you if something happens online that makes them feel uncomfortable, if they feel threatened, if someone is pressing them for information or asking personal questions.
For younger kids, DO NOT allow them online by themselves. Try to sit with them, and guide them to interesting web sites. Try different things until you find something you like, such as something you’ve seen on TV specifically for kids.
For older kids, consider creating a separate user account for them, with limited access. This will allow them some independence, but it will also allow you to control their activities, and limit any adverse events, such as, if your operating system is accidentally wiped out.
Be proactive in checking your computer to ensure that your anti-virus, content filtering, firewall, parental controls or other security software, has not been turned off.
Kids are smart, but sexual predators that prey on children can be much smarter, they have had a lot more practice.
Remember that you could become a victim yourself. Even though you may be mature enough to know that meeting someone from a chat room is not such a good idea, keep in mind that many adults have been caught out too. They have become addicted to online gambling, hooked on pornography, have been tricked into sending money to bogus charities, have revealed their credit card numbers and PIN numbers, or have been targeted by online predators. If it can be this dangerous for an adult, just imagine the risk for your child.
If you can’t stay one step ahead of your child with technology, try not to be too far behind.

You can keep up with the changes that are happening online by looking for the many web pages about safety for kids, such as this one from Microsoft. Awareness is your best defence.

Reprinted with Permission