Computer Safety
Internet Usage - A Guide For Parents And Pupils
The Internet is an extraordinary resource that links our children to a world of information, experiences and ideas that might otherwise be unavailable to them. However, the Internet can also expose your children to numerous risks, and it is crucial to remember that when a child is online, his or her safety may also be on the line. Just as you have taught your child basic safety rules for the physical world, you should also teach your child basic safety rules for the virtual world. Here are a few basic rules to go by:
- 1. Place your computer in an area where you are best able to monitor his or her online activities
- 2. Take an active interest in your child's online activities
- 3. Warn your child never to reveal any identifying information such as: last name, ethnicity, age, address, phone number, school name, parents' names, parent' employers or work addresses. Caution your child that predators and con artist are expert at accumulating incremental amounts of personal data until thy eventually obtain enough information to locate a user
- 4. Warn your child never to arrange an in-person meeting with someone met online
- 5. Warn your child never to accept anything sent to him or her by a person met online
- 6. Warn your child never to post online a photo of any family member. Explain that online images may be altered or "morphed" and used on, for example pornographic sites
- 7. Not everything posted online is true. You must always consider the source. Remember that online, as in real life, you must evaluate the reliability of a source in determining the accuracy of the information it provides. Just because you are reading it on your computer screen does not mean that it is true
- 8. Don't accept everything that you read on the internet as true. Think about the source of the information when you evaluate its reliability
Chat Room Use
A chat room is an online service that allows multiple users to communicate with each other about an agreed upon topic in "real time". The potential dangers are:
- 1. Never give out personal information
- 2. Never arrange an in-person meeting with someone you've met online
- 3. Never post pictures of yourself, your family or friends online
- 4. Never open files sent to you by anyone you have met online
- 5. Avoid people who ask too many personal questions
- 6. Treat those you encounter online respectfully
- 7. Remember that you do not have privacy online
- 8. Do not respond to e-mail when you do not know the sender
- 9. Do not respond to rude, threatening or harassing e-mail
- 10. Do not open e-mail with subjects you think sound inappropriate for your age
- 11. Trust your instincts! If something does not feel right, do not respond to e-mail, leave the chat room or exit the Website
You should immediately contact either the police or a trusted adult if you are:
- threatened with harm
- aware of any online threat to another
- harassed online because of your race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or disability
- asked to participated in any kind of sexual activity by someone who knows or should know that you are under eighteen
Threats from use of the internet: Your child may:
- encounter someone who targets him/her for victimization
- encounter a predator that is searching online for victims
- encounter offensive language and adult content
- commit a crime, such as transmitting a threat of violence
- accidentally or intentionally enter a pornographic site containing adult or child pornography or a site which promotes violence, hatred, bigotry, drug use or other harmful behaviours
- be deceived into giving out personal information by falling for a crafty marketing scheme such as an innocuous sounding survey or a contest
- be exposed to marketing of drugs and/or alcohol which is geared toward children as there are no restriction sin such advertising methods on the Internet
- download games which are excessively violent and/or promote hatred
- use the Web to commit a crime, such as using information learned from the Web to build illegal incendiary devices
- Since anyone may post material on the Web, some sites will promote false or misleading information masquerading as fact
Remember - think safety.
