The internet is an excellent resource for children. It provides help with their homework, communication with teachers and their friends and They can play interactive games. Any child who can press a few keys on the keyboard can access the world. But for children the internet can pose variable hazards, should a child be looking for a site about “lego”, but accidently press the wrong key, as in “legs”, they could be transported to sites with any number of things, especially pornographic material.
It is very important that parents are made aware of the dangers of what their children see and hear, who they meet and what information they give away on the internet. Talking with your children about your concerns, taking advantage of any resources there are available and keeping a close eye on their activities to protect them from any potential dangers, is of vital importance.
Online Safety Laws
There have been laws brought into force to protect children from internet dangers. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act is one such law. This Act requires websites to explain their privacy policies on the site and to obtain parents’ consent before using a child’s personal information, such as name, address, phone number. The law also prohibits a site from asking for more information than is necessary when signing up for a games site etc. But, however many laws are brought into force, no child is ever protected 100%.
The best protection for any child is YOU. By talking to your child and making them aware of any potential dangers, you will helping them to surf the internet safely.
Use Online Available Tools
Parents need to be aware of their child’s activity and there are online tools to protect your child from accessing adult material. It is important that parents are aware of their child’s computer activity and educate your child about online risks. Most ISPs provide parental control options, blocking certain material from a child’s eyes. There is software that helps block access to a “bad site” list, normally provided by the ISP(Internet Service Provider).
Filtering programmes stop sites from coming in and restrict your child giving out their information. There are also programs to monitor and track your child’s online activity. Also, it is a good idea to create a screen name for your child to protect his or her real identity.
