Bits & Pieces - More of the story
The best way to protect kids online? Talk to them.
Booklet offers tips and advice for coaching safe, online activity
A 54-page downloadable booklet—NET CETERA: Chatting with Kids About Being Online—outlines what parents and teachers need to know, where they can go for more information, and issues to discuss with kids about living their lives online.
OnGuard Online (www.onguardonline.gov) is a new federal Web site that offers good advice for parents, teachers and mentors to help children and teens understand the risks involved in using the Internet and other communications technology.
Maintained by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with significant contributions from several federal government departments and the technology industry, OnGuard Online provides practical tips to help any Internet user guard against internet fraud, secure their computers, and protect their privacy.
People of all ages are posting video and texting each other from mobile devices, creating alter egos in the form of online avatars and building online profiles; connecting with friends online they don’t see regularly in person; sending photos and broadcasting what they’re doing to hundreds of people.
These ways to socialize and communicate can be fulfilling, yet they come with certain risks of inappropriate conduct, contact and content.
The online world can feel anonymous. Students sometimes forget that they are still accountable for their actions. There are people online that have bad intentions, including bullies, predators, hackers, and scammers. A parent may be concerned that their children could find pornography, violence, or hate speech online, or that their computer security or privacy may be compromised.
According to OnGuard Online, the best way to protect kids online is to talk to them. Research suggests that when children want important information, most rely on their parents. A teacher or youth mentor frequently have the kind of relationship that empowers them to provide important advice to young people.
[Back]
