Top 10 Tips for Chat Room Safety
Top tips for kids
1. Report suspicious activityTell your parents to contact law enforcement immediately if you witness or suspect illegal activity, especially the following.
o Requests for you to travel and meet someone or suggestions that they can travel to meet you
o Transmission of child pornography
o "Stalking" activity
o Threats of violence
2. Don't give away too much info in your Internet profileNever put personal information in your Internet profile. Don't include your address, telephone number, parents' work addresses, or parents' phone numbers at work.
3. Don't reveal your whereaboutsNever tell anyone specifically where you live. If they ask, use a general geographic location: "I am in the Los Angeles area."
4. Tell a guardian if you feel uncomfortableAlways inform an adult if you receive anything that makes you uncomfortable, and never respond to those items.
5. Don't share passwordsNever give your Internet passwords to anyone, even friends. Other than telling your parents, keep that information private.
Top tips for parents
1. Limit what your kids can accessUse appropriate parental controls for children's Internet access. Set appropriate times, durations, and areas they can access.
2. Keep your Web access in full viewYour Internet connection should be set up in a common family area, such as the family room or den. Don't put the family PC in a secluded area of the house, such as a child's bedroom.
3. Know your child's online identityParents should know children's user IDs, screen names, and passwords.
4. Monitor your child's Web useUse of Internet-monitoring software is highly recommended.
5. Make surfing a family affairInternet access should be a valuable educational tool. Spend time with your family learning what it has to offer, and enjoy!
Protect Your Kids From Net Predators
1. Keep computers in common areas of your home.
2. Limit the amount of time your child uses the computer for games and the Internet.
3. Talk with your child about the dangers of the Internet.
4. Surf with your child and discover his or her interests.
5. Educate yourself about the technology that keeps your child safe (i.e. filters and locks).
6. Know what access your child has to chat rooms.
7. Take an advanced computer class with your child.
8. For young children, view software before purchasing to check for violence.
9. Become familiar with the software that helps your child with school projects.
10. Use the computer and software together.
Online Safety for Children
1. Don't rely on a technological quick fix, such as Internet blocking or filtering software.
2. Educate both yourself and your child on how the Internet works.
3. Supervise your child without stifling them, especially as they move into the teenage years.
4. Communicate with your child to instill your own values.
5. Remember that children of different ages face different challenges online.
6. Recognize that teenagers may need to explore topics parents find troubling.
7. Train children how to end online conversations with adults or other children who are asking for contact information, personal information, or in-person meetings.
8. Train children never to give out credit card numbers or other financial information.
9. Remind children they can always come to you or call you to ask for help with what they are doing online.
10. Get involved in setting the Internet-use policies at your child's school and at your community's public library.
