Safe Surfing

Protecting Your Family

Predators > Reducing Risks

In March 2005, a 33-year-old was sentenced to 10 years in prison for carrying out serious sexual assaults on two girls he met online. Do you know who your kids are talking to?

There are things you can do to reduce the risks of your child becoming a predator victim.

• Put your computer in a living room, not the child's bedroom.
• Install email filters.
• Stick the family house rules beside the PC as a reminder.
• Always encourage your children to talk about their online friends just like you would with their real friends.

Knowledge is the best protection. You can't be there all the time so tell your children:

• Not to download images ? they must come to you first.
• Choose a screen name that doesn't reveal their gender or any personal information and let you see it first.
• Check out the names yourself.
• Never reveal any personal information about themselves or their family.
• Stop communication at once and tell a trusted adult if they are being asked questions which are making them uncomfortable or have a sexual content.

Even with precautions it is impossible to guarantee that your child will not be targeted so what can you do if that happens? Contact the police and save any documents including email addresses, web site addresses and chat logs as evidence. Once targeted, predators are reluctant to give up their prey so always remain vigilant. Keep checking.

There are other online criminals who don't prey on children. They're more interested in YOU. Find out more in Identity Theft?