Internet Browsing

• Make sure children keep passwords, pictures and personal information to themselves.
• Remind children never to arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they first met online.
• Teach children not to post anything on the Internet that they would not want others to see.
• Help them remember people they meet online are not always who they say they are.
• Let children know they should not say anything online that they would not say in public.
• Tell them not to respond to messages that are inappropriate or make them feel uncomfortable.
• Encourage children to tell an adult if they ever encounter a problem online.

Cyberbullying

• Children should never reply to anyone in anger.
• When bullied online, remember to tell children to “stop, block and tell.” Stop replying, block the sender and tell someone. Similar rules apply to text messages.
• Messages should be saved and shown to a trusted adult.
• Be a friend — children that know someone is being cyberbullied should be encouraged to let a parent know.
• Parents should consider reporting the cyberbullying to local law enforcement authorities.

Warning Signs

• A child spends large amounts of time online, especially at night.
• Pornography is discovered on a child’s computer.
• A child talks by phone or texts to unknown adults or others with unrecognized phone numbers.
• A child receives mail, gifts or packages from an unknown person.
• A child turns off a computer monitor, changes screens on the computer or tries to hide the phone when parents enter the room.
• A child becomes withdrawn from family and friends.
• A child uses an online account belonging to someone else.

Protect Children from Online Predators

• Talk to children about sexual victimization and the potential of online danger.
• Keep the computer in a common room of the house, not in a child’s bedroom.
• Utilize parental controls available from internet service providers or use blocking software.
• Always maintain access to a child’s online account and monitor email.
• Teach children the responsible use of online resources.
• Find out the computer safeguards being utilized at school, the library and at friends’ homes.
• Never arrange a face-to-face meeting for a child with someone they met online.
• Never automatically assume that what a child is told online is the truth.