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Internet Safety (A
Parent's Guide)
GUIDELINES FOR COMPUTER SAFETY
- Talk to your children about their use of computers and discuss the
dangers of computer use.
- Ask them to teach you how to operate a computer.
- Take a computer course yourself.
- Know the capabilities of your computer...a modem can connect your
children to any kind of information and all types of people.
- Internet Service Providers can provide a filtered or unfiltered feed.
This filtered feed will not allow access to the majority of sex-related
newsgroups... although "It is not fool proof".
- Learn how to access the Internet Service Provider home page to
determine the number of computer hours used per month on you
account...Accounts can be set up so each individual family member has their
own access codes and separate codes.
- There are software packages available at computer software stores than
can block access to unwanted sites.
- Computers can be addictive. Limit time allotted to computers. Watch to
see if a child is withdrawing from friends and family.
- Do not allow a computer to be placed in a bedroom or other isolated
room, so activities can be easily monitored.
- Advise your child never to give out their full name, address, age,
telephone number, school name, financial information or any other personal
information over the computer.
- Advise them to never meet with persons they meet through the internet.
- Watch for the storing of computer files ending with letters...
GIF...JPG...AVI...BMP...TIF...PCX...DL...GL...as these contain photographic or
movie images which contain pornography.
DANGERS OF THE "CHAT LINES"
- This has the greatest potential to cause harm to children.
- It is the equivalent of a telephone conversation with complete
anonymity during the on-line chat...even the sex of the author can not be
determined.
- Always closely monitor the contacts children make during on-line chats.
- Ensure no personal information, such as full name, age, sex, address,
telephone numbers, or schools are given out to any person they meet during
on-line chat.
- It is a known fact that pedophiles are using the Internet to entice
children...so far there have been no documented incidents in Manitoba...
- Pedophiles depict themselves as young children and can even send a
"photo" of themselves in an effort to gain a child's confidence.
- They are also being used by con artists to solicit credit card
information from adults and children.
- If your child ever makes an agreement to meet with a person they meet
on-line, ensure that you attend with them and meet in a public place...but
attempt to prevent this from occurring.
- If your child receives unsolicited e-mail (the equivalent of junk
mail), have them disregard it. This can be sent to your computer without you
requesting it and cold be an attempt by a pedophile to engage your child in a
conversation.
- Remember, pedophiles are now conversing with other pedophiles via the
Internet. They are discussing ways to use the Internet for illicit purposes.
SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS
- Numerous software packages are available through computer retailers
that will customize the computer for your children. It allows for an in-house
setting according to the family moral standard.
- The industry standard is gauged by what is appropriate for a typical
twelve year old using the Internet while unaccompanied by an adult or
guardian.
- This software can provide a master list of inappropriate sites that can
be downloaded from their Internet site. You can modify it in accordance with
your standards.
- This software allows for monitoring of sites, newsgroups, chat lines,
time spend on the computer by day or cumulatively, as well as e-mail.
- These systems operate by screening out user defined sites, words,
phrases and other content that do not meet your particular values.
- us the system to prevent personal information from being sent from your
PC, such as names, addresses, telephone numbers and credit card numbers. This
may be entered onto your screening list and can not be sent from your PC.
- Systems can be set up to monitor activities without the knowledge of
the child. In other words, activities can be monitored and reviewed to
determine if the child is using the computer in a manner which contravenes
your family moral standard.
- Each user within the family can be required to log on with their own
password which places an the burden on the individual to explain their
computer usage.
- Obviously there are many benefits to purchasing one of these software
programs, but they are, by no means infallible.
Above all else, parental
supervision is the key to Internet Safety!
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