Safe Surf

Responsible Internet Usage

Any technology can be abused, and when it's a relatively new technology such as the Internet, certain people are anxious to test its boundaries, to see how far they can stretch the limits of propriety. There are certainly a number of Web sites, chat rooms, and newsgroups out there that contain questionable or objectionable content. Children and teenagers are particularly susceptible to these things.

As with any useful -- but potentially dangerous -- tool, the key to keeping children safe is parental supervision. Just as you would carefully monitor your child's first use of a knife or a pair of scissors, so should you supervise his use of the Internet. Following are a few guidelines for keeping tabs on young children and teenagers:

• Don't assume that your kids know what activities are permissible. Be explicit when you define the "do's and don'ts" of the Internet in your home.
   
• Prohibit your child from identifying himself by his real name. Help him choose a nickname and stress the importance of anonymity on the Web. Other personal information such as the name of the city where you live, the name of your child's school, as well as his address and telephone number should be kept strictly confidential.
   
• Place the computer in the living room or den, or other heavily trafficked area of the house so that children can be easily monitored.
   
• Talk to your older children and teenagers before, during, and after their on-line time. Ask questions. Know what they are doing when they are on the Internet. Don't hesitate to pull up a chair from time-to-time and observe their activities.
   
• Software products (such as Net Nanny) are designed to help you screen out undesirable content. By blocking Web sites and e-mails that contain certain keywords and phrases, you are able to control the types of Web sites your children may view, even accidentally.
   
• You might consider limiting the amount of time your children spend on the Internet, in the same way you may already limit the time they spend playing video games or watching television.
   
• To monitor the sites your children have recently visited, you may press CTRL + H (for "History") from an open browser window to view a list of all Web sites visited within the past few days. This feature works with either Internet Explorer or Netscape.

Keep in mind that the adult subscriber is responsible for the Internet activities participated in by all members of the household using the account. A child who crosses the boundaries of Terms of Service and Acceptable Use policies while on the Internet could cause significant problems for his parents or guardians in whose name the dial-up account is registered.

The Internet can be a dangerous place - but it can also be incredibly informative, educational, and fun. With a little guidance, your children can learn to take advantage of its benefits and avoid its pitfalls.