 Internet: The Good and the
Bad
The internet is a vast source of information, entertainment, and
communication, but to fully enjoy its benefits, families should also understand the risks
associated with its use. Modern technology makes a big world smaller with instant means
of communication and exciting methods of expressing individuality. These advancements
offer new social and educational opportunities to families, but with them comes
additional challenges to parents in protecting their children. Keeping kids safe on the
web requires parents to use a planned approach that allows them to understand internet
risks, to be involved with their children’s internet use, and to use tools to
reduce risks.
Types of Risk: Why is internet safety important?
In order for parents to protect children on the internet, it is
important to understand the nature of risks they may face while online. Although a
majority of people using the internet have good intentions, there are some online who use
the internet to deceive, humiliate, or threaten others. Some of the risks children may
face when using the internet are as follows:
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Internet Risks
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Exposure to Pornography or Other Offensive Material
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Unfortunately offensive material and
pornography are readily available by many means and locations on the internet. A common
misconception is the false notion that these materials will only be found by those who
are looking for them. The truth is that pornography and other offensive materials are
commonly found by mistake. Such materials are sometimes sent to individuals in
unsolicited e-mail transmissions or by clicking on seemingly innocent links.
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| Child Predation and Exploitation |
One of the most frightening risks to
children is the type carried out by those who maliciously deceive children through
communications with them. Intentions of these individuals range from harassment to
physical exploitation and can result in horrifying consequences to children. The
innocence and inexperience of children often prevents them from understanding that the
friendly conversations of strangers can actually be deceptive attempts to exploit
children. Sometimes child predators pose as children in order to obtain trust or personal
information from their victims. |
| Internet Addiction |
With all of the activities available
on the internet, it is easy for some children to fall into the habit of spending too much
time online. This can interfere with a child’s normal daily activities and social
functioning. While there is much to see on the internet, it is possible for children to
get “too much of a good thing.” Allowing children unlimited or unsupervised
use of the internet can lead to undesirable experiences and consequences. |
| Cyber Bullying |
“Cyber Bullying” is an
attempt by someone to humiliate harass, or intimidate children online. The perpetrators
of “Cyber Bullying” are commonly peers or individuals that the victim knows.
“Cyber Bullying” can involve either direct bullying (by e-mail or other means
of electronic communication), or indirect bullying by placing information on the internet
that others will see (which is intended to humiliate or intimidate the victim).
“Cyber Bullying” can cause fear, embarrassment, and humiliation to children
when they are online and in their offline interactions with those responsible for such
acts. |
| Virus and Malicious Computer
Attacks |
Sometimes children are targeted by
those seeking to do harm to computers, or to gain personal information. When children
download information from unknown sources including attachments in e-mail or links sent
to them from others online, they risk introducing viruses and other malicious software
programs to computers at home. Such malicious programs can damage computer function or
even collect personal information that can be used for identity theft or other dangerous
purposes. |
Methods of Internet Access
Home computers are an obvious source of internet access that pose
risks to children, but they are no longer the only method used to access the internet.
Wireless devices such as laptops, mobile phones, and other devices can also be used by
children to access the internet. Computers found outside of the home (at residences of
friends or acquaintances) are also sources that children may use to get online. It is
important to consider every source children may use to access the internet in order to
plan how to effectively protect them from online dangers.
What Parents Can Do
Protecting families requires a planned approach that utilizes a variety of
technological, supervisory, and educational strategies. There is no single magic solution
that will protect every child effectively. To provide an environment that allows children
to use the internet safely and reap the vast benefits that are available, it is essential
to know what tools are available and how to apply them to unique family situations.
It is important to note that there is no perfect solution that will provide children with
complete protection from every risk of the internet. Parents can however make surfing the
internet safer for kids by being involved with their internet experiences, using
protective software, and teaching kids what to do when a dangerous situation
arises.
Be Involved
The most important tool that can be used to protect children from internet dangers is
parent involvement. Although technological tools and automated measures can be taken to
reduce internet risks, there is no tool that will help children to face internet dangers
more effectively than parent involvement.
The following are some tips on how parents can help children to be
safer on the internet:
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Internet Saftey Rules and Tips for Parents
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| Safety Comes First |
Parents should always
consider safety first when allowing children to use the internet. |
| Surfing with the Kids |
Parents can surf the internet with
their children and become familiar with sites they enjoy. |
| Share an Account |
Parents can share an e-mail account
with their child and maintain access to that account. By doing this parents can help
their child to learn the proper way to use an e-mail account while also keeping an eye
out for suspicious and potentially dangerous communications. |
| The Internet is NOT Private |
Parents should explain to their children that communications they
make on the internet are not private and are treated similarly to conversations made in
public.
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| Communicate |
Parents should help their children to
feel comfortable talking to them about how they use the internet and experiences they
have while online. Parents should refrain from being judgmental about what they share and
focus on issues that pertain to their safety. |
| Be an Informed Parent |
In some cases parents do not
understand computers or matters pertaining to the internet as well as their children do.
When this is the case, parents should study the areas of concern to have an adequate
understanding of computer and internet function to make informed decisions on how to
protect their children. Parents need to be aware of what their children are involved
with, how it works, and what the risks are. |
| Explain the Risks |
Parents should discuss internet
dangers with their children to inform them about what internet risks are and how they can
be affected. |
| Set Rules |
Parents should set rules with their
children about how they will behave while using the internet and what they will do if
dangerous situations are encountered. |
| Never Reveal Private Information |
Parents should explain to children
that they must never reveal private information about themselves such as passwords, real
names, location where they live, where they go to school, or places they visit. Children
should never give information that can give a stranger the ability to call them or visit
them without parental permission. Additionally if children do meet friends on the
internet and would like to meet them, they should only do so with a parent to accompany
them (never alone). |
| Keep the Computer in an OPEN area |
Parents should keep the computer that
their child uses in a common and visible area of the house (such as a family room).
Children should not be allowed to hide behind doors for the duration of their online
sessions. Additionally set rules about mobile phones and other electronic devices that
have portable internet access. |
| Keep Track of Sites and Passwords |
Parents should write down their
children’s most commonly accessed web sites and be aware of what happens on them.
Additionally parents should maintain any passwords that apply to these sites, so they can
monitor their use and access the sites if any risks are identified. |
| Use "Screen Names" not Real Names |
Parents should be sure that their
children use AKA names or “screen names” for any sites on which they engage
in communication. They should also be certain that their “screen names” and
profiles do not reveal any private information about them. |
| Avoid Private Chat Rooms |
Parents should not let children use
private chat rooms where their e-mail address may be seen by others. |
| Time Limits |
Parents should set daily time limits
on their children’s internet use. These time limits should be determined by parents
based on reasonableness and the prevention of interference with other normal daily
activities. Parents should be aware of computers outside of the home and electronic
devices in consideration of time limits. It should be made clear to children that the
time limits also apply to these other sources of internet access. |
| Be Respectful |
Parents should explain to their
children that they should never send a message online that they would be uncomfortable
delivering to someone in person. In reference to “Cyber Bullying,” they
should never do anything that makes someone else feel uncomfortable, afraid, or
humiliated. |
| No Trading Photos |
Parents should not allow children to
trade photos with anyone online or by e-mail. |
Terminate Innapropriate
Communications and Report them if Necessary |
Parents should explain to children
that they should never reply to threatening messages, “Cyber Bullying,”
requests for personal information, or any other message that makes them feel threatened
or uncomfortable. Additionally children should tell parents about any such messages.
Finally any threatening or obscene messages should be reported to the internet service
provider (ISP) used by the parents and to other agencies as necessary. SEE RESOURCES |
| Don't Be Tricked Into Giving Away Your
Phone Number |
Parents should never let their
children call anyone online without their permission because caller ID can be used
against them to acquire the victims phone number. |
| People are not Always as They Appear
Online |
Parents should let their children
know that not everyone online is who they appear to be. Sometimes children may encounter
someone online who may pretend to be someone or something that they are not to deceive
children into doing something that may place them at risk. |
| Avoid Discussing Personal or Family
Matters Online |
Parents should make clear that
children should not discuss personal matters online. |
| Get Permission to Sign Up |
Parents should inform children that
they must get permission before registering for anything online. |
Family Internet Safety
Software
In addition to all of the steps above that parents can take, it is
wise to install software on your computer that can automatically filter and block
internet hazards. There are many programs available that will filter out pornography,
hate, violence, and other types of undesirable material, preventing them from being
accessible to children. These vary in function and effectiveness and many are
customizable to your specific wishes for blocking. These software programs are an
excellent way to reduce risks to children. They have the ability to reduce dangers of the
internet in communication and internet searching.
Family internet safety software is a highly recommended tool to use
in reducing risk to children, but it should never be considered as a stand-alone method
of protection. Although these programs make significant improvements in internet
safety for children, they are not foolproof and they will not prevent every danger that
children can be exposed to. They should be considered an essential component of a
complete plan of internet protection that includes parent involvement, software
monitoring and blocking, guarding of private information, and reporting of threats that
occur online to appropriate agencies.
There are many different packages of internet protection software and
a variety of options to choose from. I will not endorse a specific product but I will
provide advice on how to find software and make an informed decision on the package most
suited to your needs. I will also provide a list of some important features to look for
and give a short description of the purpose and function of each feature. With this
information, you will be able to find internet protection software that best suits the
needs of your family.
Finding the Right Software
A few simple searches on your search engine will provide you with an ample list of
internet protection software products and comparable features. I recommend searching the
terms in the list below and looking at several of the products before deciding which one
to buy.
Search the following terms on your search engine to find internet protection
software:
Family Internet Safety Software
Internet Safety Software
Child Internet Safety Software
Filtering Software
Blocking Software
Monitoring Software
Features of
Internet Protection Software
As you search for the most suitable internet protection software for your family, you
should look for software that has as many of the following useful features as
possible:
Blocking
| Content Blocking |
Blocks websites or pages that contain a specific type of content
(ie. pornography, violence, hate, etc) |
| Website Blocking |
Blocks websites or pages within websites (in some cases sites can be
specified by user) |
Filtering
| “Bad List” Filtering |
Restricts entire websites by a “bad list” of
websites |
| Keyword Filtering |
Restricts web pages by keywords in a specific web page |
| Website Filtering |
Restricts entire websites by keywords on the site. |
Monitoring
| Email Alerts |
Sends notification by e-mail to user when restrictions
are activated or rule violations are attempted |
| Realtime Monitoring |
Allows user to see what the protection software is doing when it
happens, rather than as a report available after the fact |
| Remote Monitoring |
Allows user to view information gathered by protection software from
a different computer than the one being monitored |
Profiles
| User Profiles |
Allows user to customize settings for different children
to allow specific levels of protection as needed. |
Time Limitation
| Time Limiting |
Allows user to restrict internet access based on a specified time
limit or use of the internet at specified times of the day or night |
When you select your internet protection software and install it on
your computer, you will surely notice a decline in the availability of undesirable web
content. These programs are excellent tools for enhancing the safety of your children,
but they should always be considered as a part of your internet protection plan and not
as a substitution for parental guidance and involvement.
Helpful Resources
The following are some additional resources that can help you to
learn more about internet safety and to create an effective safety plan for your
family:
Child Safety and
Cybertipline
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
www.missingkids.com/
Computer and Internet Security
getnetwise.org
www.getnetwise.org
Cyberbullying Info
WiredKids, Inc.
http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/index2.html
Guidance on Internet Use and
Safety
U.S Department of Education “Parents Guide to the Internet”
http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/internet/index.html
Identity Theft
Federal Trade Commission
http://onguardonoline.gov/stopthinkclick.html
Internet Safety
Wired Safety
http://www.wiredsafety.org/
Internet Safety and Facts
Childnet International
http://www.childnet-int.org/safety/
Internet Safety and Information
Net Smartz
http://www.netsmartz.org
Reporting Incidents
* Any act occurring on the internet that makes you feel in
personal danger should be reported to local law enforcement in addition to appropriate
agencies as follows:
Deceptive Spam
Forward deceptive spam to spam@uce.gov (include the
header of the email)
Hacking or Viruses
Report to your internet service provider (ISP) and to the FBI at
www.ic3.gov
Information of a personal nature accidentally revealed to another
party
Report to Federal Trade Commission www.ftc.gov
Internet Fraud
Report to Federal Trade Commission www.ftc.gov
Unsolicited Obscene Material Sent to a Child – report to
Cybertipline (at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)
https://secure.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/CybertipServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US
or call 1-800-843-5678
* This is not to be
considered a complete list of agencies for reporting internet risks and crimes. It may be
necessary to contact additional agencies and additional research may be required to
fulfil reporting needs required for your specific
situation.
The internet is a remarkable resource for information and
entertainment that parents and children can both enjoy. Although it is not possible to
guarantee that children will not be exposed to some risk on the internet, it is possible
to substantially reduce dangers through parent involvement, software protection, and
communication as a family. By working together with children, parents can maintain a
safer environment on the internet that allows kids to enjoy the benefits of this
tremendous resource.
Sources
NYS Consumer Protection Board, “Family Internet
Safety”
http://www.consumer.state.ny.us/pdf/family_internet_safety.pdf
Accessed 2 November 2007
Broughton, Daniel D. M.D., FAAP, “Keeping Kids Safe In
Cyberspace”
http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/26/8/11
Accessed 2 November 2007
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,
“CyberTipline”
http://www.missingkids.com/en_US/documents/CyberTiplineFactSheet.pdf, Accessed 2
November 2007
Aftab, Parry, “Parenting Online”
http://www.wiredkids.org/parents/parentingonline/parentingonline.pdf
Accessed 2 November 2007
Kids Health, “Internet Safety”
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/net_safety.html
Accessed 2 November 2007
OnGuardOnline, “7 Practices for Safer Computing”
http://onguardonline.gov/stopthinkclick.html
Accessed 2 November 2007
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