Respect their privacy more and talk with them about their online
experiences.
Filter sites that are inappropriate for young teens, instead of blocking
all but approved sites. Some bad ones will get through, though. So talk
about it beforehand.
Give them more leeway on people they can accept IMs or e-mails from. But
check and account for everyone, in real life, on their buddy list. No
friends of friends.
Make sure you filter or block image searches, which are often a way
around many filters.
Block peer-to-peer technologies and get your kids an account with iTunes
or another legal music download site.
Teach them to guard their passwords. Password theft is a serious problem
at this age.
Teach them not to pirate software or motion pictures.
Have them Google themselves often: screen names, telephone and cell
numbers, addresses, full names, nicknames, etc.
Try and limit their use of chatrooms to monitored chatrooms or themed
chatrooms on safe topics.
Limit their online use (including text-messaging) to under 90 minutes a
day aside from a special school project).
Keep them out of social network or online dating sites such as xanga.com,
friendster.com or match.com.
Talk to them about not meeting strangers offline, and agree to go with
them or teach them large group safe meeting tips (see wiredteens.org).
Buy girls a copy of “A Girl’s Life Online” (formerly known as “Katie.com”)
to read.
Keep the computer in a central location and watch new interactive
devices such as cell phones, text messaging devices and interactive gaming
devices, like Xbox Live. Use parental controls if they come with them – Xbox
does, for example.
Consider setting up a teenangels.org chapter, or starting an online
safety club at their school. (Visit Internetsuperheroes.org for available
free materials.)
|