Internet safety for children - be careful!
The Internet and computers are becoming a necessity in our homes. Almost everything we do, whether it's registering a new appliance, paying bills, finding a movie theater, restaurant, or theme park for location and hours, is easy online. Why "let your fingers walk" in the yellow pages, as the phone directory companies used to say when you can find it with a few keystrokes and clicks online?
Becoming computer literate is a requirement of the California Education Standards. Even grades 1-6 and high schools have computer labs! A computer with the Internet and its unlimited resources as a research and learning tool, if used safely, can make a big difference in how well your child does homework and assignments
There are temptations and dangers online.
When kids sit down at the computer, the temptation to go outside and surf from homework to chat, blogs, and MySpace is extremely high. What kid doesn't want to see what their friends are talking about, listen to music, and create their website for free? MySpace.com is a good example of the most tempting of these temptations. Almost every internet-savvy kid knows about MySpace. Opening with the question "What's your MySpace?" when they meet a new friend in person is very common in dating. A local English teacher who also works in the computer lab claims that one in four of her 8th graders has their own MySpace.
MySpace.com- Danger Danger Danger!
There are countless articles about kids getting into trouble and putting their lives in danger by turning to MySpace as a way, originally, to meet other kids their age. Read your kids' articles about teens who got into hot water with MySpace to help them understand how persistent and dangerous predators can be.
For an example of a good kid in trouble, read the New York Times story about Justin Berry, who at 13, innocent, lonely, and computer-savvy, quickly exposed himself to countless pedophiles in minutes behind the closed door of his room. on MySpace.com. The scariest part of the news was a video interview with the then 18-year-old, where he warned others how "disappointing" his experience had been.
How do you keep your child interested in learning, doing productive things, and avoiding online dangers? That's a good question, because the way he sees it, all the other kids are communicating on MySpace, sharing their favorite music, and growing their circle of friends there.
Start educating yourself and your children!
Read this CBS report to learn how to protect children on MySpace.
Sit down with your child while they are on their MySpace.
If they switch screens or minimize the page and refuse to show you every time you try, they're hiding something. That's when you have to get software filters or a software program that tracks every keystroke, every page, every website they go to to see who they're chatting with and what they're saying.
Visit the page we created here at JerSooz a few years ago for more information on child safety. Below is a table of links designed to help you get the information you need to keep your children safe online.
Another option is to use browser history, chat history, cookies, and temporary internet files to see where they go yourself. See below for how to do it.
Use cookies - From the Start button, go to Search, then type Files and Folders into Cookies and Search Now. They are usually located on the C drive of our computer. Here you can click on any of the suspiciously named files to see what websites they may have visited.
Checking Saved Pictures – Another thing most kids do is save pictures of people they talk to and websites they enjoy. It's a way to get an idea of what they're interested in without telling you everything.
The Center for Missing and Exploited Children last year reported more than 2,600 cases of adults using the Internet to lure children. With numbers like that, you'd think that all parents would be hovering over their kids, wanting to know what they're up to online. View the chat and MySpace profiles of your children and all their friends.
Do yourself a favor and make sure their login and password are set automatically when your child accesses chat and MySpace online. Even if you're accused of invading their privacy, it's worth pretending to be them a few times to see what conversations they're having online and with whom.
You may be overwhelmed and upset by who you're talking to and what's being said, but don't blow your cover just yet! Above all, remember that you are doing this to protect the safety of your children. When you do, you'll either find out your child is the perfect innocent kid having fun online, or...you'll get enough evidence that they need stricter guidelines, rules, and parental controls, or have the internet taken away until they can handle it. it. It's for their good!
Did you know how easy it is to find your location online?
You are not anonymous online and your address is easy to find. Of course, this means that strangers can find your children online at your home. It also means that you are responsible for any problems they may get into with your internet connection!
It's really simple, every internet connection has an identification number that shows where your internet connection is located. IP or Internet Protocol addresses are displayed in chats and when sending e-mail. Want to see how easy it is to find someone by their IP address? Get started with your IP address, visit GeoBytes IP Address Locator and see for yourself!
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