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Family Tech

Hit all the keys 10 tips for safe family Internet surfing. By OC FamilyPublished: March, 2006

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Have a child? Have a computer inside the house? Here are 10 tips  to follow to make certain that the technology doesn’t hijack  the youth: [1] Create house rules Create simple, easy-to-read house rules about using the Internet  and post them on or near the monitor. [2] Consider using security software for your computers  Parental controls, pop-up blocker, anti-spyware, anti-spam and  firewalls help to protect your family’s home computer and limit your child’s use. [3] Create passwords Internet accounts should be in your 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 should use only  nondescript screen names that don’t identify themselves as children. [4] Keep the computers in the family room Keep the computers in the family room or in other open areas. Be aware of any other computers your children might be using. [5] Don’t be afraid to ask Frequently ask your children to show you what they can do online  and visit their favorite sites and chat rooms. [6] Talk about chat rooms Talk with your children about never meeting a new online “friend” face-to face. [7] Go online yourself  Select child-friendly search engines to assist your children  in completing their [8] Talk about spam  Explain to your children what spam is and caution your kids to  never respond to commercial e-mail, or to open e-mail attachments  from unknown senders. [9]  Watch out for dangerous e-mails Talk to your children about not responding to offensive or dangerous e-mails,  chat, or other communications. Report any such communication to your local  law enforcement agency or to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s  website at www.cybertipline.com. [10] Talk about downloading If your children are music fans and enjoy accessing music online,  be sure that they are getting their music from legitimate sources  and not sharing copyrighted  materials illegally. Making copyrighted materials available without authorization  can lead to prosecution and bring steep financial penalties.

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