Taking Control of the Web
Safety tips for the entire family
The Internet offers fun and educational sites for everyone in the family, but there are also sites that include mature or inappropriate content. As a parent, your supervision and involvement is the best protection for your kids, but you can't always be there when they're online.
Fortunately, you can take many steps to help protect your family as they explore the Internet.
Learn what's out there
Become familiar with what is available on the Internet:
- Type keywords for topics your kids are interested in into a search engine, such as Google, Yahoo, or MSN, and see what Web sites pop up. Visit some of these sites.
- Visit sites geared toward children to get a sense of the information and experience they offer.
- Keep your children from sharing personal information on the Web by finding child-friendly sites that don't require it.
Learn what's out there
To help protect your children from stumbling onto Web sites you don't want them to see, you can use software programs to block information that you find inappropriate or offensive, such as coarse language, nudity, or violence. In addition, many Internet browsers have parental controls to help you protect your child.
Keep track of where your children have been
Your kids are going to be online even when you're not around. If you want to know what sites your children visited, review the History folder in the Web browser. If you're curious about something, click the link in the folder to go to the site.
The History folder displays links to previously viewed Web pages. You can search the History list to find a specific site.
In Internet Explorer, use the following steps to use the History folder:
- To enable the History folder, click Explorer Bar in the View menu, and then click History. The History Explorer Bar will open.
- On the History Explorer Bar, click View, and then click option you want to use:
- By Date: Displays links by day or week. If you select this option, the History folder displays a list of folders that contain links to individual pages.
- By Site: Displays links sorted alphabetically by the name of the site. If you select this option, the History folder displays a list of folders with links to individual pages.
- By Most Visited: Displays links by how often you have visited each site. If you select this option, the History folder displays a list of individual links to Web pages.
- By Order Visited Today: Displays links in the order you viewed them today, beginning with the most recently visited page. If you select this option, the History folder displays a list of individual links to Web pages.
To search the History folder for a specific Web page, use the following steps.
- Enable the History folder as described above.
- On the History Explorer Bar, click Search, type the word or words to search on, and click Search Now.
Remind kids to beware of strangers
friends from across the country or around the world. Unfortunately, imposters and predators sometimes use these tools to try to get personal information to track down children in the real world.
To help keep your children safe, remind them to:
- Only use a first name or nickname on the Web
- Never give out a phone number, address, or other personal information
- Never send or post photographs
- Never agree to an in-person meeting with someone they only know from online
- Tell you if they ever feel uncomfortable or uncertain about something that happens online
Talk to your kids about who they're chatting with online. If you feel uncomfortable with what you hear, contact the police.
Create a "guest list"
Another way to protect your kids from chatting with strangers is to set your instant messaging software to only accept messages from approved contacts. If your child wants to send someone an instant message, you must first add their name and contact information to the list. That gives you a chance to screen and approve the people your child is communicating with online.
Stay connected
Remember, the best way to keep your kids safe is by keeping the lines of communication open. Take an active interest in what they're doing both online and offline. Set clear online safety rules, and ask your kids to come to you if they ever encounter a problem or get into an uncomfortable situation.
