Internet Safety For Children Tips
Knowing how to use a computer has become essential for each and every person. The extent of information available on the computer in unthinkable and is necessary for education. Children get all type of information necessary for studies and research on any topic. In addition to information, this has become a source of spreading of social evils amongst innocent children, who, having clear mind, get targeted by predators. Thus it can be said that the computer is a necessary evil found in each home.
It becomes the duty of the parents to be careful and ensure that the child does not fall prey to such elements that are out to reach each and every computer user. The motive of such persons can be to entice children to watch unwanted content like pornography and then extract money or worse. Some invaders have been seen to be doing such things for fun.
It is good if the child uses the net for the purpose of learning but the parents should be cautious and ensure that the child does not start visiting some children prohibited sites. It will be advisable to place the computer in the living area of the house so that the child is under the surveillance of the adults. To ensure that the child does not access the computer in your absence, use a password protection to open the computer. When the child wants to use the computer he or she should request you to allow access.
Certain software is available with the help of which it is possible to block some sites. Ensure that it is installed on your computer. Email is an integral part of internet usage and almost all children have mail ID. Let your child have her own ID, but its user name and password should be known to you. Open the mail box of the child frequently and if you find that the child has changed the password, this should be an alarm signal for you. It is necessary to visit social networking sites by logging in using child’s particulars to know about her friends list. Parents keep watching weather their kids are’nt chatting to non-social elements on different friendship and networking sites.
If the child is using some secret screen name or uses phone to talk to unknown people, enquire about this from the child. Keep a strict check on use of money available with the child. If the child uses money for a purpose which he/she is not willing to disclose, keep a watch as to if he is not paying it for watching some porno or other prohibited sites on internet.
It is most important that you sit with the child and discuss thoroughly about the merits and demerits of internet. The child should be told clearly what is good for her and what is not good for her at a particular age. She should be told not to disclose her particulars to a stranger and not to try to meet any person befriended online.