OT: Protect Your Children From Online Predators

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http://edition.cnn.com/2007/TECH/internet/03/23/safeonline.101/index.html

 

POSTED: 1701 GMT (0101 HKT), March 23, 2007

 

Story Highlights

• Expert: Parents need to take precautions against predators

• Parents need to become more Web savvy

• Do not let a child have a computer in his or her bedroom

• Monitor your child's surfing, " Google " his or her name

 

By Peggy Mihelich

CNN

 

 

KENNESAW, Georgia (CNN) -- For parents, the Internet can be like

navigating a minefield.

 

While the Web allows kids the freedom to make friends, play games and

research homework with the click of a button, it can pose a potential

danger as online predators, cyberbullies and scam artists ply their trade.

 

" Your child could be physically harmed by someone he or she encounters

online and later meets in person, " said online security expert

Benjamin Halpert on Thursday as he addressed a group of security

experts at the 2007 Cyber Crime Summit in Kennesaw. (Watch and learn

more about cybercrimes against kids Video)

 

" A lot of parents think, 'It will never happen to my kid,' and that's

not true, " he said, adding that boys and girls are victimized in equal

numbers.

 

Parents need to take precautions, Halpert said. In " SafeOnline 101 "

Halpert gives parents the tools they need to protect their children

from cyberthreats.

 

And while there's no easy solution, preventative measures can greatly

reduce a child's chances of becoming a victim.

 

" The biggest thing is to start early. Children are going online at a

younger and younger age these days. The younger you can start the

better, talking to your children about it, so that it becomes

ingrained as they go forward, " he said.

 

Halpert offered common-sense steps for parents.

 

First he says parents need to become more computer literate and Web

savvy. Take for example, instant messaging. Parents need to learn the

lingo: POS is short for " parents are looking over my shoulder " and

LMIRL means " let's meet in real life. " (Read the FBI's lingo list --

PDFexternal link)

 

And do not let a child have a computer in his or her bedroom. Halpert

equates that to giving a child to a complete stranger and walking away.

 

Instead, the computer should be in a high-traffic part of the home

like the family room or kitchen. Monitor your child's surfing by

wandering in and out of the room periodically and checking. (Parent

safety checklist)

 

Halpert said Web cams are a bad idea, citing that too often they are

used by online predators to solicit sexual activity.

 

Next establish ground rules for online use. Write up the rules and

place a copy by the computer so your child can refer to them while

surfing the Web. Also, have the child sign an Internet use pledge that

everyone can live by and stick to. (Get a copy of a parent-child

agreement form -- PDF))

 

Parental controls

 

More than half of American families with teens use filters to limit

access to potentially harmful online content, according to a 2005

survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

 

Halpert said parents should know what these tools can and cannot do

and how they work.

 

They are very effective at limiting time spent online, the sites kids

can visit and the types of communications they can use, but they also

might filter out sites a child might want to look at for school work.

 

Parents also can use monitoring software that will follow their

children's every keystroke. Halpert suggests parents talk with their

children before employing monitoring software.

 

" Make sure they understand that there is a reason why they are being

monitored and that you are actually going to do it to protect them

from something bad happening to them, " he said.

 

Develop a trusting relationship so that if they do experience a

problem online they will feel comfortable coming to you. And don't get

mad at them with what they may show or tell you -- they may not come

to you the next time something questionable happens.

 

Social networks

 

Have you ever " Googled " your child's name?

 

Halpert said it works for both adults and children and is a good

indicator for finding out what personal information may be out there.

 

If your teenager is part of a social networking site like MySpace,

Halpert suggested having the child set his or her profile to " private. "

 

" Instruct them, talk to them about the best way to use the technology

to keep it less personal than they may would otherwise. "

 

Read the privacy policy for any site that asks children for their

personal information.

 

If a site is specifically child oriented it must meet Federal Trade

Commission guidelines. Find out if the sites they visit comply and

what rules are in place. Under law, if a child is under 13, Web sites

have to get parental permission to get personal information.

 

If your child is into online role-playing games like Club Penguin,

Halpert suggests sitting with your child while they are playing the

game. " See exactly what's happening, so if something does happen you

can understand the context and where it came from. "

 

Supervise any activity that may put them into contact with someone you

or they don't know.

 

Halpert said parents should report any suspicious activity to the

Internet Service Provider, and local and federal authorities.

 

It's about communicating and guiding them, Halpert concluded. Done

carefully they can enjoy the Web for all the good it has to offer.