Keeping your kids safe online

Below are 10 tips to help you keep your kids safe on social networking websites.

1. Know the password to your child's page.

2. Customize your child's privacy settings to make their profile safer.

3. Visit your child's page regularly to monitor their activity.

4. Create an account on the same social networking sites as your children and add your child as a "friend"

5. Tell your children not to add strangers as friends.

6. Set a time limit for social networking sites.

7. Keep your computer in a common area of your home, such asthe living room, where it will always be in view.

8. Teach your children not to share their personal information (address, phone number, etc...) with anyone.

9. Ask your children to tell you immediately if they see anything or are contacted by anyone that makes them uncomfortable. It is your job to take action immediately by blocking the user and reporting the material.

10. Discuss these guidelines with your children. Determine the consequence broken rules such as setting a probationary period or deleting their account until they earn back your trust.

Here is a link to an excellent guide to help you talk to your children about internet safety.

http://www.onguardonline.gov/pdf/tec04.pdf