Nowadays, with the popularity of social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook, kids have found it easy and attractive to create an online presence – sometimes without their parents knowing about it.  The internet is a very exciting, attractive and accessible place, but it can be very dangerous too.  With one in five kids being sexually solicited online every year*, careful monitoring of your child’s online activities is as important anything else you do to protect them.  Social networking sites are a favorite of cyber predators who know how to use the innocent information kids share to turn a cyber relationship into a dangerous real world encounter. 

Kids are often ignorant and trusting when they communicate online and frequently share information that can be used against them. If you think your child is going to use the internet for social purposes, and many try, there are a few rules that make it a safer place:

1.  Your child should never give out unnecessary personal information.  This includes their last name, address, city, school, phone number, email address, age or photos.  Online photo sharing can lead to many problems!  Also social networking accounts should always be set as ‘private’.

2.  They should not give out any of the above information about any of their friends or family and insist their friends do the same.  You should check their friend’s web pages as well and tell their parents if you have concerns such as too much information or if they are not set as ‘private’..

3.  Create an internet safety plan and contract with your child which includes what to do if they are sexually solicited online, are contacted by someone that they do not know, or are communicated with in anyway that makes them feel uncomfortable.  This plan should be signed and posted near the computer.

4.  Have an understanding that their computer activities are not private from you and that you should have access to all their online communication.  Additionally they are NEVER allowed to erase the ‘history’ on the computer – that is only done by you and suspension of computer use would result if they do.  This helps you to know if the sites they are visiting are appropriate and safe.  This is easy to do.  Use search sites like Google to check if they have an online site.

5.  Remember that computer use (outside of work done for school) is a privilege.  Screen time should be limited and should not at the expense of other activities. It can and should be taken away if it is not handled responsibly.

6.  Don’t make computer risks too easy.  The computer your child uses should always be located in a very visible common area of your house and never in their bedroom.  Frequently check what they are doing online and talk to them about what they are doing there. 

7.  If you suspect online danger, report it immediately to the police.

Here are some online resources for kids and parents:

‘Don’t Believe The Type!’ The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children website that provides guidance for safer online use  -  http://tcs.cybertipline.com/

Washington State Attorney General – site provides kids with tips for safe surfing the web 

http://www.atg.wa.gov/safetynet/kids1.shtml

Together we can all do our part to keep our kids safe online!

- The Eckstein Counseling Department

*Center for Crimes Against Children, 2000