While the Internet offers great access to valuable resources for our children, it also provides opportunities for inappropriate content and interactions. Please take time to become aware of the dangers that your child may face on the Internet. Please resist the urge to unplug your computer. Rather, follow the advice to make sure that your child is safe while using the 'Net.
Tips for Parents
- Talk to your child and set clear guidelines for internet use.
- Establish a internet use agreement with your child.
- Monitor your child's internet use. Place computer in a common area where the screen is visible. Monitor all other internet-enabled devices, such as cell phones, tablets, and gaming devices.
- If your child belongs to a social forum such as Facebook, check their privacy settings and any postings to make sure they do not contain personal contact information or inappropriate content. Check the pages that are linked as these pages may contain inappropriate content or information that would identify your child.
- Make sure that your child understands that they must NEVER provide personal information or agree to meet someone in person.
- Make it clear to your child that they should let you know if someone says or does something that makes them uncomfortable. Many children think they may be punished or lose computer privileges it they do so.
- Enable safe searching options on your search engine.
- Consider carefully the use of webcams, chat rooms, and instant messaging.
Internet Safety Tips for Parents handout
Downloadable Tip Sheets from Netsmartz
Kids and Cell Phones and Other Internet-enabled Devices
- Parents Guide to Kids and Cell Phones
- Parental Controls for Cell Phones
- SafeSearch Filter on Mobile Devices - Google
- Two iOS 7 Features Parents will Love
- How to Set up iPad Parental Controls and Content Filtering
- How to Set Up Parental Controls on Android; restrict Android app permissions
- Kid Safe Browsers for iPod and iPad
- How to Keep Your Child Safe on the iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad
- Free Home Filtering Option (OpenDNS)
- Parent Resources - Parental Controls on Game Consoles
- Parental Controls on Windows Computers
- Parental Controls on Mac Computers
Safe Browsing Apps for Mobile Devices
- K9 Web Protector (Android and iOS)
- McGruff Safe Guard (iOS)
- MobSafety Ranger Browser (Android and iOS)
- Mobicip Safe Browser with Parental Controls (iOS)
- Net Nanny (Android)
- Maxthon Kid Safe Web Browser (Android)
Information about Cyber Bullying
- Bullying Prevention and Response
- Cyber Bullying: Worse than Traditional Bullying
- cyberbullying research center
- Cyberbully Help
- StopBullying.gov
Information About Internet Safety
- Basic Privacy Settings & Tools Learn how to set the privacy settings on your Facebook page
- Common Sense Media Parent media education program with information and resources
- Cyber Criminals Most Wanted Cyber crime awareness, prevention, and safety
- Cybertipline Reporting site from the National center for Missing and Exploited Children
- Enough is Enough: Protecting Our Children Online Designed as a public awareness tool, a training manual and a "take action" plan for parents and others involved in the supervision of children
- Five Tips to Protect Children from Unsavory Content Tips for keeping kids safe online
- GetNetWise "Rules of the Road" for child safety online and some common-sense guidelines to avoid spam, malware, and protecting personal information.
- iKeepSafe Parent Resource Center Activities and resources for parents
- Joe Showker's Internet Safety Portaportal Lots of valuable links
- Keeping Kids Safe From PBS Frontline, view the video "Growing Up Online" along with good information and resources
- KidShield Tools and information for keeping your child safe online.
- NetSmartz Information and activities to teach internet safety
- OnGuard Online Great information, games and videos on a wide variety of topics
- Online Safety Guide Information on the risks that children face online. Click on age-level on left side of screen for safety tips
- Parent's Guide to Internet Safety Information from the FBI
- Parent's Guide to Online Kids Provides statistics on internet use, describes various programs that kids may be using online, discusses risks, and offers tips on internet safety
- SafeKids.com and SafeTeens.com Lots of information, printable resources, online safety quiz, and more
- Safe Netting and Ethics in a Digital World - From Joe Showker
- Safe Online Surfing- from the FBI highlights cyber security through games, videos, and other interactive features.
- SafeSurf Information for safer use of the internet
- Webwise Useful information for parents
- WiredSafety Useful information for parents
- Zilladog Offers a kid-friendly website with the option for free, child safe, web based email system
Internet Filtering and Monitoring Software
- Setting Parent Controls on PC and Mac - Step-by-step instructions for setting the parental controls in Windows Vista, XP and Mac OSX from Massanutten Computer.
- Activity Logger
- BeNetSafe
- CyberPatrol
- Cyber Sentinel
- K9 Web Protection - Free
- McGruff SafeGuard
- Net Nanny
- OpenDNS - Free
- WebWatcherKids
- MouseMail - Filtered email
Sites for Kids
- Get Your Web License
- Iggy and Raser's Internet Safety Game
- Internet Safety with Professor Garfield
- Netsmartz Kids
- Online Safety Quiz
- Safety Tips (FBI)
- Stop Bullying Now!
Keeping Your Identity Safe
Shopping online is convenient, and it is safe as long as you use common sense and some simple precautions. Legitimate sites use measures such as encryption to safeguard your personal information. Stop by Safeshopping.org for information to help you shop smarter.
Phishing is a way of tricking you into giving out personal information. Those emails that you receive from a bank, Paypal, Ebay, etc. asking you to update your account information are just ways of gathering your personal information. DO NOT DO THIS. Even the annoying SPAM that you receive advertising Viagra and other drugs is more likely designed to collect information than sell you anything. The FDIC reports important information and tips on keeping your personal information safe in You can Fight Identity Theft
Spyware is becoming more and more prevalent. While some forms are benign and designed mainly to gather information for marketing, others are malicious and designed to gather personal information. Protect your yourself and your computer. Regularly run software designed to detect and remove spyware. Here are some free solutions that you can download.