Safe Surfing

Protecting Your Family

Safe Fun > Safety Tips

Kids of all sizes need different levels of protection?

Child Age 2-4

• Check out safe sites and safe search engines yourself.
• Install filtering tools.
• Get pop up blocking software to stop offensive images popping up when your children are online.
• Always sit with your children and tell them not to give their name to anyone.
• Encourage older children to guide younger ones responsibly.

Child 5-8

• Check out safe sites and safe search engines yourself.
• Get pop up blocking software to stop offensive images popping up when your children are online.
• Install filtering tools.
• Put your computer in a family area.
• Tell your children not to give out their name or address to anyone.
• Never let them use instant messaging, email or chat rooms.
• If your child tells you that something has bothered them keep calm, find out what the issue is and praise them for their honesty. That way they'll come to you again.

Child 9-12

• Install filtering tools.
• Check out safe sites and safe search engines yourself and only allow your child to use those.
• Get pop up blocking software to stop offensive images popping up when your children are online.
• Make Internet house rules.
• Put your computer in a family area.
• Make sure you know what they are doing and who they are playing with or chatting to online.
• Tell your children never to give out personal information over the Internet. They must come to you first.
• Tell them not to share files or download material without your permission.
• Ask your Internet Service provider to set up a limited user account for your child so you can monitor what they are doing.
• Talk to them about predators and online pornography. Your children need to know that when something is not right they can come to you.
• Make sure your children know that you have a right to look at everything they are doing on line.
• Spot check and if they don't like it, disconnect the PC.

Teenager 13-17

• Install filtering tools and anti-virus software.
• Make Internet house rules.
• Put your computer in a family area. If it is in your teenager's bedroom, ignore their complaints and spot check.
• Make sure you know what they are doing, who they are playing with or chatting to online. Stress that they must never arrange to meet any online friends or give out personal information. They must always tell you first.
• As teens get older they may not want to use safe sites and safe search engines, so encourage them to be open about what they are doing and keep spot checking.

You know the rules that can help keep your kids stay safe online. But online predators are clever and determined. You need to know more to protect your family.

Continue to Predators.