Children and the Internet.

Keeping your child safe on the Internet is possible as long as you and the child agree to some simple guidance rules when they are using the computer. If you keep an open approach to your child's use of the computer and keep an interest in what they are doing while they are on the Internet you can make your child as safe as possible surfing the net.

§ Place the computer in a family room and not in the child's bedroom, this means you can watch what they are doing while they are on the computer without invading their personal space.

§ Sit down and agree with your child what sort of sites are suitable for them to visit, set the limits and make sure you check regularly what sites they are visiting. (You can do this by checking the history, explained further on.)

§ Get involved with your child using the Internet, search for sites together, try and encourage them to tell you what they are looking at on the net.

To do this on tools on the top menu bar and select Internet options from the drop down menu select Internet options:

The bottom section deals with how long before the files are cleared just set the length in days using the arrows.

Some simple guidelines

Don’t give out personal information:

This includes your name, address, phone number, mobile number, which school you go to, your friend’s full names, your teacher’s names or anything that will help somebody identify you.

Keep your password and nicknames secret:

Never use your real name or pick a password that would be too identifiable with you like your pets name or your street name.

Always tell an adult if you feel uncomfortable or are worried about anything said to you in a chat room:

Some message boards and chat rooms have an alert button or an email address where you can tell the host that something somebody else’s writing is upsetting you. You can always just log off and leave the site, but make sure you do tell an adult.

Never meet up with a web friend:

Never arrange to meet anybody you have met on the internet, no matter how well you think you know the other person or however curious you are. If you are really determined to meet a friend you should always tell a parent and make sure an adult goes with you when you meet them.

Don’t send pictures of yourself:

Before you send any photos of yourself or your family and friends talk to your parent’s first, not everyone in a chat room is who they seem, they may not want you to send pictures to a stranger.

Checking the history on your computer

On the toolbar at the top of the Internet explorer screen there is button that will show you where you have been on the Internet.

By clicking on the button this will give you a list of all the websites the computer has been to while you have been connected to the Internet. If the history is blank then it has been cleared, if it is constantly cleared it may be that the settings for how often the files are deleted may need changing or they are being cleared after use. This may be so that you do not know what sites your child is visiting.

Ø If you don’t now much about your computer and how to use it, get your child to teach you or book a session at your local library with the learning support assistant.

Ø If they have an email address of their own always tell them not to open junk emails, when companies get hold of your email address they send you what is called ‘Spam’ mail, some of it can be offensive especially to children. Ask them to tell you if they get any of these sorts of mail. Some email providers have a setting for Spam mail, by highlighting that particular email address and clicking the 'this is Spam' button, it won’t allow that particular email address to send any more messages to your box.

Chat rooms.

Chat rooms can be fun, but equally they can be dangerous. At any time you don’t know who you are talking to, what they tell you may not be true. Remember the same rules you taught your children about strangers in the street should apply to people they meet in the chat rooms.

Try and agree with your child one or two chat rooms they are allowed to use. Most are categorised i.e. Teen Romance try and pick out one or two you are both happy with and save them in one of your favourite folders and these are the only ones to be used.

A lot of children will talk to school friends in chat rooms, just like you would talk to friends on the phone. But anyone they meet in a chat room should be classed as a stranger and all the rules you have for strangers they may meet face to face in the street should apply.