Raise the bar on filtering or parental control technologies if you find
they are complaining or are locked out of school-recommended sites. Or make
sure that you use a product that will them send you an e-mail at work to let
you unblock a particular site. (MSN has this feature.)
If you add IM, make sure only pre-approved senders can send your child
an IM.
Use a pop-up blocker or toolbar (like Google’s), an antivirus program
and a spyware remover (this begins the age of dangerous downloads).
Keep using the Yahooligans and Ask Jeeves for Kids search engines.
Make sure that they understand what information can and can’t be shared
online with anyone.
Practice chatting online with them so they know how to handle strangers
they encounter online.
Consider using a monitoring software to be able to review what they are
saying and doing.
Keep a close eye out for spyware in case they accidentally corrupt the
files on the computer. Back everything up!
Limit online time (aside from special school projects) to under an hour
a day (including all IM and text-messaging time).
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