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Family Tech

Online Protection Ways to keep your children safe. By OC FamilyPublished: September, 2007

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Ways to keep your children safe The Internet can be a wonderful place. Full of information, it can be a child’s best resource for school and a fun place to keep in touch with friends. Unfortunately, it can also be a haven for predators and scam artists. Parents need to take precautions. While there is no easy one-step solution, preventative measures can greatly reduce a child’s chances of becoming a victim. > Start early: Talk to them at a young age so the lessons you teach and rules you set become ingrained. Be honest with them about the dangers of the Internet. > Become more computer literate: Do your research. Become informed about computers and the Internet. > Keep the computer in an open, high-traffic area of the house...like the family room or kitchen. > Be the boss of your PC: Install an operating system that makes you the administrator. Create a password that will allow only you to control the computer’s Internet settings, online content and software that can be installed. > One child, one email: Do not allow your child to have multiple email accounts. > Know their online routine: Have your child show you what they do online and also what they know how to do. > Know their new friends: Learn screen names, buddy lists and email addresses. Prohibit the use of private chat rooms. > Use monitoring software: Programs like PC Pandora create a visual record of everything your child does and also allows you to set filters that limit access to potentially harmful online content. > Watch the clock: Set time limits on computer use. > Learn about other computers your child may use: Whether it is at school or a friend’s house, you should know when and where they are going online. > Web cams are a bad idea: They are often used by online predators to solicit sexual activity. > Google your child: It is a good indicator for finding out what personal information may be out there.   Courtesy of PC Pandora, makers of PC monitoring software. For more information and tips, visit pcpandora.com.

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