Traveling Safely on the Internet
A Family Guide
traveling on the Internet
When you use your computer or phone to jump on the Internet, it is like learning to drive a car. Like the road, the Internet can take you to many exciting places and it is very important to buckle up and travel safely on both. The Internet offers so many opportunities to explore, create and collaborate. But it’s important to keep yourself safe and secure, so you can make the most of it.
Many different kinds of cyber crime exists. Just like someone who might want to steal your car or what's inside of it, a criminal might try to gain access to your information – like your email password, account information or other private information.
A criminal might also try to use the Internet to scam you, sell you fake goods or make you do things that cost you money. Or, like a thief who steals a getaway car without caring who the owner is, they could want your computer as a tool to commit cyber crime. Whether you’re a new Internet user or an expert, the tips and tools here to help you navigate the web safely and securely are simply good to know.
keep things private
drive safely
judge content
Just because you see it online doesn’t mean it’s true. Teach your family to view all content critically so they can identify fact from fake online. Learn how to distinguish reliable sources from unreliable ones, and how to verify information you find online.
10 travel tips
talk with your family about online safety. Be clear about your family’s rules and expectations around technology, and consequences for inappropriate use. And most importantly, make sure they feel comfortable enough to ask for guidance when they encounter tough decisions. This can help your family feel safe exploring the Internet on their own, and to know who to turn to—you—when they have questions.
use technology together. It’s a good way to teach online safety, and it creates opportunities for you to address online safety topics with your family as they come up.
discuss online services and sites. Talk with your family about what kinds of sites they like to visit and what is appropriate for each family member.
protect passwords. Help your family learn how to set secure passwords online. Remind your family not to give out their passwords, except maybe to trusted adults, like a parent. Make sure they make a habit of signing out of their online accounts when they are on public computers at school, in a café or at the library.
use privacy settings and sharing controls. There are many sites for sharing thoughts, photos, videos, status updates and more. Many of these services offer privacy settings and controls that help you decide who can see your content before you post it. Talk with your family about what they should and shouldn’t share publicly. Help them respect the privacy of others by keeping the personal details about family or friends private, and by not identifying people by name in publicly shared content.
check age restrictions: Many online services have age limits restricting who can use their services. For example, you have to meet age requirements to have an email account, and some products are restricted to users 18 and older. Always check a website’s terms of use before allowing your child to sign up for an account, and be clear with your kids if you have family rules about which sites and services they can use.
teach your family to communicate responsibly. Here’s a good rule of thumb: if you wouldn’t say it to someone’s face, don’t text it, email it, instant-message it, or post it as a comment on someone’s page. Talk about how what you say online might make other people feel, and come up with family guidelines about what kind of communication is appropriate.
talk to other adults. Open the conversation to your friends, extended family, teachers, coaches and counselors. Other parents and professionals who work with children can be a great resource to help you decide what feels right for your family, especially if you’re dealing with an area of technology that you are unfamiliar with.
protect your computer and identity. Use antivirus software and update it regularly. Talk with your family about the types of personal information – like a social security number, phone number or home address – that should not be posted online. Teach your family not to accept files or to open email attachments from unknown people.
keep it going. Staying safe isn’t a one-time thing—technology evolves, and so will the needs of your family. Make sure you keep up an ongoing dialogue. Re-establish your family’s ground rules, check in on everyone’s progress, and set aside time to talk at regular intervals. Below are some more tips on common issues that parents are concerned about.
from: Google's Safety Center
tips from iKeepSafe.org
Take steps to reduce exposure. Studies show that girls who are exposed to sexually explicit media are more likely to view themselves “primarily in sexual terms”, and boys who watch sexually explicit media adopt more sexist perspectives and behaviors. As a whole, studies conclusively show that exposure to harmful or illegal content poses physical and emotional risk to children. Services that filter and/or monitor web content can reduce unwanted exposure at home and on mobile devices. Identifying the types of content that you believe is healthy, respectful and responsible can provide teachable moments. Filtering or monitoring can help set a framework of acceptable content. Most pornography is viewed at home and a great deal on mobile phones using WiFi. Installing content filters will not fully protect your child from harmful content but it will send a message to your child about how you feel about it.
Be calm and supportive. Children do not become ethical, responsible or resilient on their own. It will take time and energy for parents to teach their child to choose healthy media content and lifestyles. Build resiliency by addressing the shame often associated with pornography use. Separate the actions from their self worth. Some youth experience addictive online behaviors making it difficult to have healthy relationships with friends and family members. Know the warning signs and get help.
from iKeepSafe.org
tips from GetNetWise.org
Just as in any city, there are areas in cyberspace that are not necessarily appropriate for children or teens, and may contain vulgar language. Options (not necessarily recommendations) for preventing your child from being exposed to inappropriate material include:
- Set rules about where kids can go online and what to do if they stumble upon inappropriate sites.
- Keep any connected computer in a public area of the house (not a child’s bedroom), and make sure that other family members walk in the room periodically.
- Consider not allowing children and teens to use the Internet if parents aren’t home. You may wish to consider using time-limiting software to make sure that kids can go online only when you’re around.
- Consider checking the browser history to see where kids have been and having a “talk” if they are visiting inappropriate sites.
- Consider installing monitoring software that tracks where kids have been (it’s usually a good idea to let them know you’re doing so).
- Consider installing filtering software that blocks kids from visiting sites that you feel are inappropriate.