| According to WebSense and USA Today (10/10-12/99), 75% of parents say they know where their children spend time online, 58% of teens admit they have accessed an objectionable website; 39% offensive music; 25% sexual content and 20% violent content.
Children and teens often are more computer literate than their parents, leaving parents feeling helpless to truly know what their children are doing online.
Parents do not need to be helpless and in the dark.
Here are some tips to help you monitor your children's online activities: - become computer literate yourself - this does not require you to become a programmer or technician, but it does require you to learn some basics about the operating system, viewing your web browser's history, favorites and cookies, and understanding how to access past "chats" your children have had online.
- stay up-to-date on news pertaining to children's safety online; most police stations and children's organizations now have free information about monitoring children's online activities, such as the Calgary Police Service
- implement software filtering tools that allows you to define the appropriate content for your children to view online. Some programs include NetNanny, FamilyClick
- place your computer in an area of your home where it is easier for you to monitor their online activities - having a computer hidden away in your child's room or in an unused area of the basement makes it difficult to monitor your child's online activities
- spend time alongside your child while they are on the computer - ask them to teach you about the computer, show you some of their favorite sites. Encouraging and opening up a line of communication and trust will help them to come to you more openly if they access inappropriate content.
- allow your child(ren) to only use monitored chat rooms
- educate your child(ren) about the types of adults who prey on children, and ensure they understand the importance of not providing personal information about themselves (full name, address, phone number, even city or school), so that they will not fall victim
- monitor the amount of time, and times of day spent online - excessive amounts of time spent online, especially later in the evening, may indicate a problem
- watch for changes in your child's behavior (mention of adults you don't know, secretiveness, inappropriate sexual knowledge, sleeping problems)
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