Teenagers like to feel independent, and parents begin extending more freedom to their children as they get older. One place that teenagers should not be given too much independence is the Internet. Many dangers lurk there and sadly, some parents are not aware of the traps to which their child could fall prey. The World Wide Web is a fountain of information; it is the easiest and most widely used communication device and a great place to play games with long-distance friends. It is also becoming the favored hunting grounds for financial and sexual predators. Parents would be well advised to take a few simple precautions to protect their kids.
Firstly, take notice of how the child gets on the Internet. Today access is not limited to the large desktop computer shared by the whole family. Most new cell phones and PDAs are Internet capable. Teens can also get online by paying a fee at an Internet café or business that offers access, and the library and some museums offer it for free. The most dangerous place is at a friend’s house where the teen has privacy and where the rules may be more lenient than your own. While the definition of pornography is fairly standard in the United States, ultimately it is up to parents to determine where the line must be drawn.
The child can run across pornography in a few different ways: through innocence, by misdirection or intentionally. Pornographers use unscrupulous ways to attack children with their pictures. They have been known to use children’s favorite words, causing their pages to pop up along with what the search was for. They use misdirection by blatantly using brand names or pop culture icons for the name of their site. And of course, some children are curious or have already been exposed to the pictures and want to see more, so they go straight to the site.
Unfortunately, pornography is not the only danger to teenagers. Some children use ‘diary sites’ as if they are real diaries that no one else can see, even though they can read others pages and communicate with them. Make sure your child knows that not everyone they might meet are honest about who they are. There is nothing to stop a middle aged man from presenting himself as a preteen girl. Monitor your child’s page frequently and question anything that is not acceptable to you. Software that allows you to monitor what the teen is surfing is available and well worth the small fee.
Predators come in all shapes and sizes, and not all are of the sexual ilk. Identity theft and finances are also a target. Make sure they know it is never safe to hand out personal information such as their last name and address or financial data like a credit card number. Instruct your teen to not open an email if they are not absolutely sure who the sender is.
Finally, not all Internet predators are middle aged perverted men. Teenagers are also susceptible to bullies their own age. Tell your child to ignore emails from known bullies, and if the emails persist, report it to the bully’s email provider. Make sure your child is aware if they themselves act like a bully; they may not realize they are, so have them take the quiz in the link below. The Internet is a great resource, and with just a little caution can be a great asset for every family.
Protect Kids is a site for parents and kids to learn about the most common Internet threats.
Protect Your Kids offers a detailed list of do's and don’ts and also offers web surfing protection software.
The FBI has created this site to help parents protect their kids from predators.
Fun Learning Express has created this free ebook for parents with tips for talking to your child about Internet safety.
Microsoft gives tips on this page for configuring your computer to monitor your child’s activity.
Teach Safe Kids offers tips and links to help protect your child from identity theft.
Be Safe Online talks about cyber bullying and has sections about other online subjects, too.
Ms. Parry's Guide to Online Netiquette gives instructions for how to behave online.
Take this Quiz to determine if you are a cyberbully.