|
|
|
 |
Learn about The Online Mom Network
|
|
Join The Online Mom Network
|
|
How Do I Become An Online Mom?
|
|
The Online Mom provides internet technology advice and information to help parents protect their kids, encourage responsible behavior and safely harness the power of technology in the new digital world. Social networking, photo sharing, video games, IM & texting, internet security, cyberbullying, educational resources, the latest on tech hardware, gadgets and software for kids 3-8, tweens and teens, and more.
|
|
Online Predators
The Internet is not overrun with predators waiting behind every page to attack
your child. But there are some. And one is all it takes. Fortunately, you can keep your
child safe from online predators by following some simple, common-sense rules and precautions:
- Tell your kids never to share personal information or photos with people they
encounter
online
- Tell your kids never to reply to instant messages or emails from people they
don't know
- Tell your kids never to agree to meet anyone they meet online unless you come with them
- Tell your kids to let you know if anything happens online that upsets them
- Keep your family computer somewhere you can watch what your children are doing
and where they're going
- Know your child's online "friends," just as you want to know
their real-world friends
- Encourage your child to stay in well-moderated, carefully-run web environments - and
tell them never to go "one-on-one" in private discussion areas
- Make sure your child chooses "gender-neutral" screen names that
don't reveal anything
personal about him or her
- Notice if your child is spending more time than usual on the computer,
or appears to be hiding something from you
- As we've said in our discussion of Illegal
Activities, always know who your child is
receiving packages from
What if your child is contacted?
Tell your child you want to hear about it immediately if anyone he
or she encounters online does any of the following things:
- Asks for photos, videos, or personal information
- Sends obscene material
- Invites your child to meet them
Then, if you review the contact and you believe you've encountered a real
threat to your
child - or a potential threat to any child - report it immediately
to the The National
Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline.
Be aware of how predators work
Like offline predators, online predators seduce kids by going where they hang
out (for
example, chat rooms and online forums); then, pretending to be "on their
side," commiserating with their problems, offering friendly attention and gifts, and
then
gradually starting to talk about sexual matters or sharing sexually explicit
images.
Young adolescents tend to be most vulnerable: they're often in the most
need of
attention, most rebellious, most confused about their identities, and most ready
to take
chances.
Your kids should know how Internet predators operate - and be aware that
not everyone
online is who they say they are. Many children are far more sophisticated
about the
Internet than their older siblings were even five ago. They'll already
have heard this
message. But not every kid is equally prepared. And, as we all know, even adults
can be
tricked by a professional scam artist with enough skill and motivation. Just
because kids
are comfortable on the Internet doesn't mean they're immune!
|
|
|
|
|
|
