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Guide and directions for parents towards ensuring internet safety for kids and family.
The first and foremost requirement for all parents is to equip themselves with the knowledge surrounding computers and internet, and the threats and dangers surrounding their use by children. You as a parent must at least be aware of the current happenings in the areas of internet safety for kids. For, only by being equipped with the knowledge and awareness then will you be able to take the right steps towards ensuring safety for your children.
As we know the internet access and usage has longed moved from stationary desktop computers to advanced mobile gadgets and devices, thanks to advanced technology. This means that the use of internet has spread and increased many fold, and so does the exposure of children to the threats online. This is not trying to create unnecessary focus to the dark side of the online world, but only to present the reality as it is, and more importantly to bring more and more parents to the awareness of the critical importance of ensuring internet safety for kids in this present cyber age.
A brief look at what is going on in the online world including the threats on children. Please click on the respective links for further reading -
- Know all about the role of daddying in the digital age, what is involved, the joy, the challenges and more.
- Look at the current trend of the way children go about making online friends, and the dangers they put themselves to.
- How cyberbullying can have a devastating effect on children leaving them scarred for life.
- Exchanges of sexually suggestive messages by kids known as sexting, and the negative effects.
- How kids put themselves into further dangers by uploading personal photos and videos online, and video sharing which can be misused by others including online predators.
- So much bad online content spread all around which can be stumbled upon very easily by children, very unhealthy for child’s tender mind.
- Teens and mobile phones have become inseparable now, a look at the negative side of the excessive use of it.
- Some kids get into internet addiction to escape from other underlying problems.
- How online reputation gone bad now can drastically effect the child’s future.
- Many more here…
Going through all these will give you a thorough idea of what is going on in this cyber age, being aware of the latest happenings is very important. It empowers you with the knowledge and enables you to take the right steps towards internet safety for kids, thereby ensuring safety for the family too.
You’ll be amazed to know that what your kid did online recently can be viewed by others. Want to know how? Click here to find out.
What is the connection between the trend and practices of children using social networking media and internet safety for kids? It is closer than you think. Let’s take a look.
Firstly, social networking websites and online chat rooms are frequented not only by kids and teens but also by online and sexual predators too, for the obvious reason that maximum children are there too, lurking around to attack at the slightest chance. They can lurk around so easily because of the fact that internet makes it so easy for anyone to take on assumed identity. They obviously are hiding behind some identity which they created for the very purpose.
Learn all about social networking safety tips for children, click here.
There is no telling who your kids are chatting with on the other side. Their ‘good’ online friend might well be a man or woman forty years of age. But rest assured that their projected online persona will be of someone attractive and friendly in order to lure children. Many a times they do succeed in striking friendships with kids and many a times there are always kids who are fooled by them into revealing their personal information online, sadly.
Cyberbullying is one example where the cyber bully carry on their activities over the social networks using false identity. And in the case of cyberbullying, a bully can later become a victim and then back again. Cyberbullying is known to go to extreme levels with devastating consequences.
The focus of concern surrounding internet safety for kids here is that any child can be vulnerable to attacks if care and caution is not exercised. This includes the former cyber bully who can land up to become a victim too. It almost always starts with some interactions online on the online social networking platform.
All these while like many parents you might have been thinking what harm can possibly arise from a media which is purely online. Sad but true, many kids are wounded and scarred for life, some has ended their lives. You will be surprised to know the many areas, the trend in the online practice and the social networking activities of children where children are vunerable to getting hurt.
Click here for detailed study on all the areas of safety concern for children.
Like most children, if your kids loves spending hours in front of the computer there’s a high chance they are spending most of the time online at internet chat rooms or online message boards. For instance, MySpace is one of the most frequented sites frequented by junior high school and high school students to stay in touch with friends, make new online friends and be in the social circle. There is nothing to be alarmed with this as such, the only cause for concern is that in order to look cool among their peer groups kids simply must have a cool profile online for which they might end up revealing personal information on their profile, not only that kids frequently uploads photos and videos online too which might contain private content which might be spread around.
These insights are just a few of the many areas. The reality is, it is not practically possible to keep a track of your child’s activities over the vast landscape of the internet all by yourself. You simply have to make use of the tools and services available, like that of SafetyWeb.
If you are to ensure internet safety for kids in your family you will need to set some safety rules for kids to follow so that they remain in the safe zone always. There are some internet safety rules which consists of the dos and don’ts while being online. It is always better to be careful than be sorry. Some discipline will indeed be required to implement this in an effective way.
Well, rules are not always welcome or something pleasant to follow, but they are there for a purpose. In our case here internet safety rules are so that children remain in the safe zone always as their safety is the most important for any parent. Just like the challenge of getting children to follow any rules, getting your kids to follow the internet safety rules too is going to be a real challenge. It certainly is a great help if you have prior relationship of trust and reliability with your children. Just let your children know in very clear terms that the rules are so that they remain safe which is very important to you, and let them know that you are always there for them.
Set the internet safety rules based on the following tips, to be followed in letter and spirit by children and everyone in the family, without which internet safety for kids won’t be complete. The following are so as to give you a direction based on which you can work ahead.
- Under no circumstances should personal information like real names, address, phone numbers or anything which you can be identified with, be ever revealed online.
- In the same line no personal information of other family members or for that matter any other individual, to be revealed online. This includes details like profession, office timings etc as predators will obviously plan to make a visit when nobody else is at home.
- Uploading of personal photos and videos online are strictly a no no. Not only are these going to attract online predators but they can be misused in the worng hands.
- Any kinds of download from the net not to be done unless same is in the knowledge of your parents, as many softwares are meant to be harmful, even take over control. Well, you can actually ensure this using efficient parental control program.
- Everybody does have a persona online, if you want others to treat you with respect and dignity, do unto others the same. Maintain good online reputation always.
- Every care and caution to be exercised before welcoming any online friends no matter how friendly they are. Online and sexual predators will always take on assumed identity with an attractive persona.
- Any encounter which puts you in an unpleasant experience or anything which is uncomfortable to you to be immediately brought to the notice of your parents.
- Anyone no matter how close they are to you or how friendly they are to you online, watch out if they are trying to get you to reveal your personal information. Ensuring internet safety for kids can well be heading towards failure if done so.
- No matter how friendly or nice your online friends are, do not agree to meet them without bringing it to the knowledge of your parents. Your parents will always decide and arrange what is best for you keeping in mind your security. Like, if they agree to let you go ahead arranging for the meeting in a public place.
- All login user IDs and passwords to be kept secure and protected always.
Initially expect your children to resent this move of setting in place the internet safety rules, that is only natural and expected of most children. Get them to see the picture of the possible consequences if the rules are not followed. Go through the news stories together online of what other kids have been through, the tormenting experiences online, like cyberbullying. Above everything, make it very clear to them that all these are for not only their safety but that of the family too, and that you are depending on them for this.
Striving to ensure internet safety for kids and family over the vast endless landscape of the internet can be quite a challenge. Click here to learn how.
As a parent whose topmost concern is to ensure child safety and internet safety for kids what do you need to do?
The first and foremost requirement is educating yourself in all matters surrounding internet safety for kids. Knowledge is power, and you will only be empowering yourself and will be equipped to take the right decisions at the right time. You will be in complete control over the matters surrounding computer and internet if you keep yourself updated with the latest happenings.
And why would you need to do all this? As a parent it becomes your top responsibility to keep your children safe and secure, especially during their childhood years. What they go through during their childhood years is going to shape their future. This is reason enough to warrant giving internet safety for kids a very high importance. To give you an idea of what is going on in the online world today…
Computer and internet are here to stay, and so will the dark side of it. We must have the upper hand on them as far as the control is concerned. Is it possible that you have come across or read about the stories in the news of how some kids ended their lives, due to extreme tormenting experiences which started online. Some kids are known to take up criminal activities even, we know that many criminals have had a history of very disturbed childhood.
To add to all these the widespread existence of bad online content these days, which children can stumble upon very easily. Some of these bad online content are not suitable even for grown ups, let alone for kids. Then there is the risks of getting involved in cyberbullying, which is known to have devastating effects. Did you know that there are also the online predators who are always on the lookout for children who have carelessly exposed themselves or revealed their personal information online.
These are just a few of the dark aspects of the online world. All combine, they pose dangers to children who logs on to the internet, to interact with their friends on the net at social networking sites, to make new online friends and various other activities. This is actually the condition or environment in which our children dwells. And this is the present scenario which warrants that all parents educate themselves and take steps to ensuring internet safety for kids, lest they want to regret later, bitterly.
To start with, you must be comfortable with the usage of computer and internet, to some extent at least. You don’t need advanced knowledge and skills here, although it will be a plus point if you have it. You do want to find out everything about the usage pattern of computer and internet by children. This coupled with the usage of the right tools and services you will be in complete control of the requirements surrounding Internet safety for kids, which is a critical need of the hour now.
As far as computer knowledge and skill acquisition is concerned, you need to go out there and get trained, or go for online tutorials. As for the knowledge acquisition of the latest happenings in the online world, particularly around social networking media an the trend which is compromising internet safety for kids, click here for a detailed study.
It is an exhaustive guide for parents in the area of internet safety for kids. You will gain valuable insights and knowledge in the current trend in the online world.
Why is internet safety for kids so very important now indeed? Let’s take a look.
Firstly, let us acknowledge the fact that computers and internet has become such an inseparable part of our lives that we cannot live without them. We spend hours after hours surfing online for both information and leisure, even entertainment too. Our kids and teens simply must have computer and internet access otherwise there is going to be a revolt. Children logs on to the internet for school project research works and interacting with online friends too. It is indeed wonderful to have computer and internet with us always as part of our lives. Everything looks so near perfect.
Now just take a look at the following result of a study conducted by isafe.org. It really opens our eyes wide to what is going on in the online world, it gives us a view of the dark side of the net.
42% of kids reports of being bullied online
35% of kids reports of being threatened online
21% of kids reports of having received mean or threatening email
58% of kids reports of having being told mean or hurtful things online
53% of kids admits of having said mean or hurtful things to another person online
58% of kids have not informed their parents about hurtful experience online
*As per study done by isafe.org
It is shocking indeed, what kids go through in the online world. The above is a sure reflection of the risks and dangers which children spending time online are exposed to. If you have been surfing online regularly maybe you have come across this, there have been stories in the news of some kids committing suicide unable to bear the tormenting experiences online, getting involved in Cyberbullying, even resorting to violence and taking up criminal activities. And some kids get into internet addiction to escape from the real world and hide their underlying deeper problems. Just what is going on here in the online world, can this really be possible through a media which is purely online? It has already been proven, the harsh reality. In such an environment how can any any parents afford to neglect ensuring internet safety for kids, for their teens and children.
Needless to mention here, the use of computer and internet cannot be done away with. Neither can we stop using it, nor can our children too. Computer and internet are here to stay, in fact they are the future, it is what is taking the world ahead. The first thing we need to acknowledge is that just like in the real world where both good and ill resides, so is the case in the online world too. And again just like in the physical world where we take the steps to stay protected and away from the dark side, same is the case in the online world too. There certainly are steps which we must take to safeguard ourselves, our children and family at all times. Now would we be able to realize that internet safety for kids assumes a really big importance indeed.
Knowledge is power, and in this case becoming aware and keeping ourselves updated to what is happening in the world around us, by this we are only empowering ourselves with the knowledge which will only help us make the right decisions at the right time towards ensuring safety for our children and family, be it online or offline.
It is not a matter of choice, Internet safety for kids must be ensured at all cost, lest we want to regret bitterly later on. Click here to know how.
Why is internet safety for kids so very important now indeed? Let’s take a look.
Firstly, let us acknowledge the fact that computers and internet has become such an inseparable part of our lives that we
cannot live without them. We spend hours after hours surfing online for both information and leisure, even entertainment too.
Our kids and teens simply must have computer and internet access otherwise there is going to be a revolt. Children logs on to
the internet for school project research works too. It is indeed wonderful to have computer and internet with us always as
part of our lives. Everything looks so near perfect.
Now just take a look at the following result of a study conducted by isafe.org. It really opens our eyes wide to what is
going on in the online world, it gives us a view of the dark side of the net.
42% of kids reports of being bullied online
35% of kids reports of being threatened online
21% of kids reports of having received mean or threatening email
58% of kids reports of having being told mean or hurtful things online
53% of kids admits of having said mean or hurtful things to another person online
58% of kids have not informed their parents about hurtful experience online
*As per study done by isafe.org
It is shocking indeed, what kids go through in the online world. The above is a sure reflection of the risks and dangers
which children spending time online are exposed to. If you have been surfing online regularly maybe you have come across
this, there have been stories in the news of some kids comitting suicide unable to bear the tormenting experiences online,
even resorting to violence and taking up criminal activities. Just what is going on here in the online world, can this really
be possible through a media which is purely online? It has already been proven, the harsh reality. In such an environment how
can any any parents afford to neglect ensuring internet safety for kids, for their teens and children.
Needless to mention here, the use of computer and internet cannot be done away with. Neither can we stop using it, nor can
our children too. Computer and internet are here to stay, in fact they are the future, it is what is taking the world ahead.
The first thing we need to acknowledge is that just like in the real world where both good and ill resides, so is the case in
the online world too. And again just like in the physical world where we take the steps to stay protected and away from the
dark side, same is the case in the online world too. There certainly are steps which we must take to safeguard ourselves, our
children and family at all times. Now would we be able to realize that internet safety for kids assumes a really big
importance indeed.
Knowledge is power, and in this case becoming aware and keeping ourselves updated to what is happening in the world around
us, by this we are only empowering ourselves with the knowledge which will only help us make the right decisions at the right
time towards ensuring safety for our children and family, be it online or offline.
It is not a matter of choice, Internet safety for kids must be ensured at all cost, lest we want to regret bitterly later on.
Welcome To Internet Safety For Kids Dot Org.
The online world is no longer a safe place where we can let our children wander freely. Like in the real world, both good and evil resides here too. Criminals, predators, they have made their way to the online world too. In this world where we would do anything and everything to keep our children safe, the same steps are warranted for the online world too. No parents can afford to neglect internet safety for kids, for their teens and children.
This site will guide you to what needs to be done to ensure your child’s safety, also the safety of your whole family too. The main objective is to bring more and more parents to the awareness of the importance of ensuring safety for their children not only in the physical world but also in the online world too, as the threats and dangers are very real, attacks from online predators can be targeted on any child. Our children are the future, their present safety must be ensured to protect their future.
