Internet

Internet Safety

Be aware that information you give out through social networking sites, instant messages, e-mails, and blogs could put you at risk of bullying and other types of victimization.
If you wouldn’t say something to another person’s face, don’t post it online!
Never give out your password to anyone other than your parent or guardian.
Never meet in person with anyone you first “met” online. Some people may not be who they say they are.
Never post your personal information, such as a cell phone number, address, or the name of your school.
Never respond to harassing or rude texts, messages, and e-mails. Delete any unwanted messages or friends who continuously leave inappropriate comments.
Remember that posting information about your friends could put them at risk.
Only add people as friends to your site if you know them in real life.
Think before posting your photos. Do Not post or send semi-nude or nude pictures of yourself or anyone else! Personal photos should not have revealing information such as school names or location.
Use the privacy settings of the social networking sites.

Discuss digital citizenship with your child: if you wouldn’t say it in person, don’t post it online!
Enable Internet filtering features if they are available from your Internet Service Provider.
Encourage the use of privacy options on all social networking sites.
Enter into a safe-computing contract with your child about his or her use of these sites and computer use in general.
Install monitoring software or keystroke capture devices on your family computer that will help monitor your child’s Internet activity.
Know each of your child’s passwords.
Know what other access your child has to computers and devices like cell phones and tablets.
Monitor what your child’s friends are posting regarding your child’s identity.
Openly discuss all aspects of the Internet with your child as they age. Discuss Both the positive and the negatives. Help them to think critically about their actions online.
Often children and their friends have accounts linked to one another, so it’s not just your child’s profile and information you need to worry about.
Place the computer in a family area of the household and do not permit private usage.