Internet safety for your family
"Greg is ten, the same age as me. I haven’t met him but we chat on the Internet all the time. He’s really funny. He wants to meet up tomorrow to play football. I can’t wait to see what he looks like."
The facts
- The Internet can be fun, is useful - can save us time - and can have huge benefits educationally and socially.
- Through the Internet, children can get access to inappropriate information, images or people.
- The Internet can often by accessed through mobile phones, game consoles, television as well as via computers.
- Bullying can happen via mobiles, email and social networking sites.
- By being informed you can stay in control and manage the risks which are far outweighed by the benefits.
The Internet is a wonderful and quick way for young people to find information, help them study and keep in contact with friends or meet new ones.
Unfortunately, there are risks including access to illegal or inappropriate images and information, e.g. relating to self-harm, violence, inciting racism or contact from adults or older children who may cause harm to your child. Other risks include the misuse of personal information, e.g. name, address or telephone number to commit fraud. The Internet and mobile phones can be a tool used by bullies to harm a child, often called cyberbullying, e.g. messages or emails which are threatening or upsetting, or the use of social networking sites to post messages or doctored images to make fun of another child.
Action
- Set up and stick to a set of ground rules for family Internet-use.
- Learn all you can about the Internet and how to use it yourself so you can understand what your child is viewing and judge whether it is suitable.
- Keep the computer in a family room, with the monitor facing outwards, so you can always see what’s on screen.
- Make use of parental controls, often built into technology and ensure that any computers have anti-virus software. If possible also use filtering software.
- Discuss the risks with your child and let them know that if they are worried about anything they see or read on the Internet they can ask you about it.
- Tell them to keep personal information private from people unknown to the family, e.g. full name, contact details, school name.
- Tell them never to meet someone face-to-face that they've met online.
- Get them to show you any abusive or offensive messages they’ve received and keep them in case further action is needed.
- Report abuse as appropriate - guidance is provided on the CEOP website - this could be to your child's school, the website manager, Internet Service Provider (ISP), mobile phone network provider or the police.
Contacts
- Think U Know for Parents (CEOP)
- KidSMART for Parents (Childnet International)
- CEOP Report Abuse
- WebWise (BBC)
- Learn Direct
- Vodafone Parents' Guide
