1)Maintain open lines of communication between parent
and child.
2) Never reveal personal information to others on
the Internet.
3) Acquire Software to assist in blocking incoming and
outgoing information.
4) Consider restricting access to the Internet when
there is no supervision available.
5) The Internet computer should be located in a common
area of the home.
6) Monitor long distance telephone bills for unknown
telephone numbers.
7) Be sensitive to the actions of the child on the
Internet.
8) Be aware of the potential addiction to users of the
Internet.
9) Consider drafting a contract with children for the
privilege of using the Internet.
10) Select a family friendly Internet Service Provider.
11) Train your child to stop immediately if they see or
read anything that upsets them.
12) Parents should take a course on use of the Internet
or have children teach them.
1) Maintain open lines of communication between parent and child.
Probably the most important defense against Child Pornography on the Internet is effective communication between the parent and the child.
a) Set rules and guidelines for the use of the computer
b) If your child is on the Internet, find out who his "cyber-friends"
are.
c) If your child is curious about what is being discussed on the Internet,
make sure that he or she can come to you to ask.
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2) Never reveal personal information to others on the Internet.
Educate the children on use of the Internet and particularly Chat Groups. For example:
a) Do not give out any personal information to another person on the Internet
b) If someone on the Internet is harassing your child, make sure that your child knows to come to you. You would then contact the Internet Service Provider to register a complaint.
c) Never agree to meet, in person, an individual you have met on the Internet unless accompanied by a parent or guardian
3) Acquire Software to assist in protection from the Internet
Acquire software that will protect incoming and outgoing information
from the internet
a) Freeware Filters on the Internet include:
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Most filterware contains combinations of two components (a) word search that triggers the blockage (b) a list of sites to be blocked. Some filterware will only allow access to pre-approved sites. However, this is usually extremely limited and severely restricts the child's access to valuable areas of the Internet. These software options are easily circumvented, so do not solely rely on software to protect your child.
4) Consider restricting access to the Internet when there is no supervision available.
a) Software is available which will block online access during certain Times of the day. For example, you may wish to deny access to the Internet from 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. but still allow the child access to other functions of the computer
5) Location of the Internet access computer
a) The location of the family computer should be in a high traffic area
within the home. This will increase the likelihood that the child will not
be alone when using the Internet and therefore have less of an opportunity
of being taken advantage of you a sexual predator. Rather than being located
in a bedroom or study, place the computer in the living room, family room
or kitchen.
6) Monitor your long distance telephone bills for unknown telephone numbers.
a) Once the pedophile has been talking to your child on the Internet,
he/she may be successful in getting your home location and/or telephone
number. Your child and the Pedophile may then start communicating via telephone.
7) Be sensitive to the actions of the child on the Internet
a) If your child becomes very nervous or turns off the computer monitor
or changes the computer program whenever an adult comes near, this should
send a warning flag that your child may be hiding something. You may wish
to investigate further.
8) Be aware of the potential addiction to the internet
a) If your child becomes withdrawn,
b) is on the Internet for hours and hours at a time,
c) stops seeing his/her friends,
d) seems pre-occupied
These could be signs that your child if becoming addicted to the internet
9) Consider drafting a contract with children for the privilege of using the Internet.
Items within the contract are basically a code of conduct on the Internet.
a) Never open e-mail from an unknown person or company
b) Never respond to inflammatory, obscene or insulting e-mails
c) Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone met on the Internet
d) Never post pictures of themselves on the Internet
e) Never give identifying information such as name, home address, school
name or telephone number
f) Never download pictures from an unknown source
g) Whatever information is told on-line may or may not be the truth
10) Select a family-friendly Internet Service Provider
a) Some Internet Service Providers make efforts to filter out obscene material. Before subscribing to an I.S.P., ask them if they have programs in place to block obscene material. Also ask if they maintain a list of recommended Internet sites that are family-friendly.
11) Train your child to stop immediately if they see or read anything that upsets them
a) If your child sees something on the Internet that upsets them, show
them how to use the STOP button when downloading or use BACK to go to the
previous screen.
b) If e-mail is found to be disturbing, save it and forward a copy to the
I.S.P. with a complaint. They should respond to assist you.
12) Parents should take a course on the Internet or have children teach them.
a) Many Internet courses are available through schools, colleges and
even some computer sales outlets to familiarize new users with this new
environment.
b) Children are often quite conversant with the Internet. Make the Internet
a family experience so that all may learn together.