Technology Dangers

Every day, millions of children go online. Many, perhaps most, use the computer with little or no supervision. Most are online between 3:30 and 6:00 PM when there is often no adult supervision.

The Internet can be fun and educational. But it can also include a lot of stuff that is not for kids. Children can come across Web sites that contain pornography or bomb recipes, or promote suicide.

Chat rooms on the Internet let members “meet” online. They are easy to get into. Children can end up in adult chat rooms that talk about everything from spirituality to “cyber sex.” And adult predators can pretend to be children in chat rooms for kids. The news is filled with stories about children who were abused by an adult they “met” online.

Instant Messaging (IM) and e-mail can also be dangerous. Most of the time, it’s a fun way for kids to communicate with each other. But just like in chat rooms, adult predators can pretend to be children or teenagers, and start an ongoing conversation with kids through IM and e-mail.

Here are ways that parents can help protect their children:

Get to know the Internet. Get to know the words and terms used to describe what happens online and on the Internet.
Do not put the computer in your child’s bedroom or other “hidden” area. Computers should be in an open place where you can see what is going on.
Use the Internet with your children.
Talk to your kids about their online habits.
Make sure your kid's screen names don't say too much about them
Use privacy settings to restrict who can access and post on your child's Web site
Check site privacy policies.
If you are concerned that your child is engaging in risky online behaviors, you can search the sites that they visit.

Here’s what parents should teach their children about what to do and not to online:

Never give their last name to anyone.
Never give their address, city, or telephone number.
Never give the name of their school, church, or any other groups they belong to.
Never have an online friend that their parents don’t know about.
Remind your kids that they should only post information online that they (and you) are comfortable with other seeing. Once something is posted, it is hard to take it back!
Remember that adults could be pretending to be a child on the Internet.
Remember that online friends that they have chatted with for a long time are still strangers. All of the rules about strangers still apply.
Never agree to meet somebody they met online in person.

For more information and tips, please visit http://onguardonline.gov/socialnetworking.html

Last revised: May 28, 2008