How do I protect my children from bad stuff on the internet?

There are hundreds of websites and programs that will offer to sell you something to protect your children on the internet. But different families will have different views about what is and is not appropriate for children of different ages. This is true within a single country but is even more of an issue on the internet, which reaches across all national and cultural borders. So rather than spend a large amount of money you should sit down with your YCS technician and discuss what kind of controls on the internet you would like to have. In the meantime here is a list of ten things you can do now to protect your children.



Take personal responsibility

for ensuring your child's safety. Define for your family what is acceptable internet use and what is not.



Educate yourself

in the key issues surrounding internet use.

  • Look for local resources like computer or internet classes at a community college, night classes at a local high school, etc.
  • Learn how to use the tools your children use on the internet like chatrooms, instant messaging (IM), internet service providers (ISPs), e-mail and message boards.
  • Identify websites that you would like your children to explore.
  • Identify websites that you would like your children to avoid.
  • Learn the internet habits of your children and their friends.
  • Learn the danger areas for children using the internet (check with your local police, state's Attorney General etc.)
  • Use existing online resources to further your internet education.



    • Talk with your children

    specifically about using the internet. Clearly communicate your goals and values, your expectations and what you consider to be acceptable uses of the internet. Spend time using the internet with them. Talk about the fun things as well as the dangers.



    Place the computer in a common area of the house.

    Do not let your children have free access to the computer and the internet at all hours and without any supervision.



    Set parameters and agree to ground rules.

    Clearly list a "rules of engagement" on family internet use.
    Rules should include

  • Keep all personal information private. Define personal information (name, address, phone number, e-mail address, school name, parents' names etc.)
  • Use nondescript screen names
  • Do not give out credit card information over the internet
  • Don't talk to strangersYou should clearly define
  • How long your children can spend online each day
  • Which internet sites they can visit
  • How dangerous it may be to open things from people they don't know or trust.



    • Enforce the rules.

  • Revisit the ground rules periodically to make sure they match up with your children's ages and maturity.
  • Post the ground rules in a place visible to both you and your children.



    • Learn about technology tools

    like filtering software or other safe-guarding programs or options. You can learn about these by asking your YCS technician. Decide if any (or several) of these options are appropriate for your family and implement them. Revisit your settings every six months to make sure you're current with the technology and the data you're monitoring.



    Maintain control

    by keeping all internet accounts in your name and control all passwords.



    Do not let you children meet someone in person

    whom they met online without your permission or without another adult present.



    Review histories or logs

    on your computer to see where your children have been and who they have been chatting with. This is not an invasion of privacy, but rather your rite to ensure the safety of your child. If you are not sure how to review or setup logs, be sure to talk to your YCS technician. Your tech will be happy to teach you how to setup logging on chat sessions and history of website visited. YCS also provides digital evidence analysis (home and legal) to review your system and what has been viewed on it.