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Child and Adolescent Internet Safety

Advances in internet technology have allowed access to information as simple as the press of a button. What used to take hours of research for information is available immediately. The internet has created endless possibilities in commerce, education, and communication. However, it has also opened up a range of problems for parents, teachers, and others.

Just about anyone with some technological savvy can publish material on the internet.
And while there are tons of internet safety programs, they can't control everything.
It's generally up to an individual to ensure the content they view is both safe and appropriate. While children need a certain amount of privacy, they also need parental involvement and supervision in their daily lives. The same general parenting tips that apply to the "real world" also apply while online.

Types of Internet Risks

• Cyber-Bullying - Anyone who repeatedly misuses technology to harass, intimidate, or terrorize another person. Usually such bullying takes the form of inappropriate and hurtful e-mails, instant messages, or text messages, or website posts involving threats or rumors. Many times, the author is disguised or anonymous. http://www.ncpc.org/media/cyberbullying.php
  
  
• Cyber-Stalking- Cyber-stalking refers to the use of the Internet, e-mail, or other electronic communications device to stalk another person. http://www.securityworld.com/library/workplacetech/cyberstalking.html
  
  
• Cyber-Exploitation - New technology such as chat rooms and instant messaging can lead to risks of exploitation. Children may meet strangers looking to take advantage of them. Adolescents can be exposed to many forms of pornography. Also, hackers can steal personal information and spread computer viruses. Many times, this is done anonymously.

Statistics

• Approximately one in five youths received a sexual solicitation or approach over the internet in the last year.
  
  
• One in four had an unwanted exposure to pictures of naked people of people having sex in the last year.
  
  
• Less than 10 percent of sexual solicitations and only 3 percent of unwanted exposure episodes were reported to authorities such as a law-enforcement agency, an Internet Service Provider, or a hotline.

http://www.netsmartz.org/safety/statistics.htm

Safety Tips for Parents

• Have your child ask for permission before they log onto the internet so that you can be aware of when and how long your child has been on the computer.
  
  
• Establish an internet-usage agreement/pledge with your child. Discuss with your child exactly what is OK and what is not OK regarding what sites and chat rooms your child can visit and what kind of information they can share over the internet. http://www.safetyed.org/ and http://www.netsmartz.org/resources/pledge.htm
  
  
• Make sure your child knows not to give out personal, identifying information about them or the family to anyone on the internet. This includes last names, phone numbers, addresses, school information, and passwords.
  
  
• Make sure children know that they should alert a trusted adult if they are faced with material on the internet that makes them uncomfortable.
  
  
• If children use chat or E-mail, talk to them about never meeting in person with anyone they first "met" online.
  
  
• Keep the computer in the family room or another open area of your home.
  
  
• Internet accounts should be in the parent's name with parents having the primary screenname, controlling passwords, and using blocking and/or filtering devices.
  
  
• If you suspect online "stalking" or sexual exploitation of a child, report it to your local law-enforcement agency. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) has a system for identifying online predators and child pornographers and contributing to law-enforcement investigations. It's called the CyberTipline®. Leads forwarded to the site will be acknowledged and shared with the appropriate law-enforcement agency for investigation.
  
  
• Never respond to messages or bulletin board items that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, threatening, or make you feel uncomfortable. Encourage your children to tell you if they encounters such messages. If you or your child receives a message that is harassing, of a sexual nature, or threatening, forward a copy of the message to your service provider and ask for their assistance.
  
  
• If you have cause for concern about your children's online activities, talk to them. Also seek out the advice and counsel of teachers, librarians, and other Internet and online service users in your area.
  
• Talk to your children about cyberbullying: http://www.ncpc.org/parents/cyberbullying.php

Warning Signs that Your Child May Be At-Risk:

• Your child spends a large amount of time on the computer, especially at night.
  
  
• You find pornography on your child's computer.
  
  
• Your child receives phone calls from persons you don't know or is making calls, sometimes long distance, to numbers you don't recognize.
  
  
• You child receives mail, gifts, or packages from someone you don't know.
  
  
• Your child turns the computer monitor off or quickly changes the screen on the monitor when you come into the room.
  
  
• Your child becomes withdrawn from the family.
  
  
• Your child is using an online account belonging to someone else.

What to Do if You Suspect Your Child is Communicating with a Sexual Predator Online, or Being Somehow Exploited Online.

• Consider talking openly with your child about your suspicions.
  
• Review what is on your child's computer. If you don't know how, ask a friend, coworker, family member or otherwise knowledgeable person.
  
• Utilize Caller ID to monitor who is calling your child.
  
• Closely monitor your child's email and activity while in chat rooms, as internet predators usually meet their victims in chat rooms.
  

Links
Internet Content Rating Association- http://www.icra.org/

National Crime Prevention Council, Delete Cyberbullying Campaign - http://www.ncpc.org/media/cyberbullying.php

Cyberbullying: http://www.cyberbully.org

Cyberpatrol, Net Nanny, Cybersitter