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Internet Safety Power
Be powerful.
Your kids
deserve it.

Learn. Connect. Talk.
Watch what your kids watch.

The Internet is full of both opportunities and pitfalls. Kids today have more information at their fingertips than we could have dreamed of just twenty years ago. On the other hand, they have access to more inappropriate content than we could have feared. Does this mean that we need to toss our computers out the window? Of course not. It does mean that we need to help our kids learn how to use the Internet responsibly and connect with them about what they are doing
and what they’ve seen online.
What about parental controls?
Learn
It can feel like a daunting task to keep track of your kids’ online activities. That’s why most Internet Service Providers (like Comcast, Yahoo! or AOL) provide Parent Controls designed to help you keep track of and manage your kids’ online activities. Contact your ISP for more information on what is available to you.
How do they work?

Blockers and filters are great tools for younger kids—allowing you control over where they go and what they do online.
Content Blockers - This blocks sites with sexually explicit material or limits a child’s search to a predetermined set of sites.

Content Filters - Scans sites and images and blocks those that contain certain words, key phrases, or content.
Content Trackers - This software enables you to see which sites your children have visited—“tracking” their path online. This software gives young people more freedom to explore the web but allows you to verify that they are using the Internet responsibly. 
Tracking software is great for older adolescents. Let your teens know that you trust them—but that you will periodically be verifying that they are visiting appropriate sites online.

Of course no software or tool is perfect.

Internet Safety Tools
  • A lot of kids know how to “get around” blockers.
  • Sometimes these tools “overblock” sites. Blockers sometimes restrict access to sites that may be just fine for your kids—that’s why tracking software can be more appropriate for older adolescents.
  • Not all adults sites post an industry rating that can be identified by software.
  • At some point, kids will need to learn how to navigate the Internet responsibly, without guides.
Protect your kids from pornographic email spam

Lots of pornographic materials come to your kids unsolicited, through email Spam. Your Internet Service Provider should enable you to customize your child’s email access to protect your kids from Internet pornography and other unwanted emails.

Customizing email access allows you to choose and approve who can send emails to your child. This is especially helpful for younger kids and early teens. Teach your older adolescents how to customize their email account to block unwanted email Spam and talk to them about what to do if they receive unsolicited emails.
Take an Internet Safety Quiz.
Connect
Yes
No
  
I keep our computer in a family common space, making it easier for me to see where my kids are online.
I talk to my kids about where they’ve been and what they’ve seen online.
I’ve talked to my kids about how I feel about online pornography and our family values.
I've talked with my kids about what to do if they end up on a site that make them feel uncomfortable or receive messages that are inappropriate.
I’ve established Internet house rules so that my kids know what my expectations and consequences are.
I am familiar with the way the Internet works and popular teen sites.
I’ve checked into and use the filtering or tracking software and parental controls through my Internet provider.
I limit the amount of time my child spends on the Internet.
If you answered YES to all or most of these questions you already are doing a lot to protect your kids! Take a closer Look at those you answered NO to and think about some changes you might make to further safeguard your kids.
Talk
Setting your kids up for success:
tips for talking to your kids about online porn.
  • Use Internet “incidents” as an opportunity to communicate – not as a platform for endless lectures.
  • Expect some kid or teenage exploration – do not be surprised if your child has deliberately or accidentally seen pornography online.
  • Talk to your kids about your feelings about pornography.
  • Revisit family rules about the Internet – which sites are okay and which are not.
  • If you don’t have any rules – make them and explain them to your child.
  • If you find out that you child has been to a site with pornography, initiate a conversation with your child about why they went to the site, what they saw when they got there, how they felt about it. Remember to LISTEN first!
  • A lot of young people are simply curious so do not let websites provide the only answers to their questions. Let them know that they can talk to you.
  • Review again what they should do when they see something that makes them feel uncomfortable.
  • Make sure your child has a clear understanding of how you feel about online pornography and your expectations for responsible Internet use.
 
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