The Internet is full of wonderful places and can create many positive
experiences. Vast amounts of information is available at the click
of a mouse. "Cyberspace", however, is part of "real life" and there
is good reason to be cautious here. The same dangers that exist
in "real life" exist on the Internet. We all learn what part of
town is the "bad part of town" and avoid it if we want to. The same
holds true with the Internet.
Just as we encounter good & badly behaved
people on the street, we will encounter good & badly behaved
people online. Adults usually exercise common sense, children need
guidance & protection.
There are two schools of thought regarding the guidance
and protection of our young people. One camp believes that the Internet
should be regulated much the same way television is. The second
camp views this as censorship and feels that there is a technology
available to protect children without limiting the Internet for
everyone.
The Internet
is an exciting medium because it allows, and encourages, the exchange
of ideas. Some of these ideas may be of an adult nature and rather
than eliminate these areas of the Internet they can be "blocked"
from your computer, using software.
Here's
some sites to read about and download the software that is available:
Favorite Web Sites |
| CYBERsitter
Blocks - content and graphic file downloads. It also filters
offensive terms and phrases. |
| Cyber Patrol
This has a customizable dictionary for each member of
the family. It can also limit the amount of time spent
online. |
| Net Nanny
This has a customizable filter list. It will check incoming
and outgoing text against a dictionary of words that the
parents create. |
| SuperKids SurfWatch
Blocks Web sites, newsgroups, FTP, Gopher sites, IRC channels,
based upon information that the parent provides. |
It
is recommended that you establish a set of rules with your child
that governs their conduct while they are online:
- I
will not give out my address, telephone number, school name or
location, credit card information, or my parents work name, address
or telephone number without my parents permission.
- I
will not respond to a message that is mean or makes me feel uncomfortable.
I will tell my parents (or, in their absence, another
adult who is present) right way if I get a message like
that.
- I
will never agree to meet an online acquaintance in person without
first discussing it with my parents. If my parents agree to the
meeting, I will bring my mother or father with me and make sure
it is in a public place.
- I
will help my parents set up rules for when and how long I can
be online and will not break those rules without their permission.
For
more information about keeping children safe on the Internet, check
out these Web sites & talk to your friends, share information
& good websites:
ProtectKids.com
by Donna Rice Hughes (an internationally known Internet
safety expert and advocate). This site is great comprehensive
guide to Internet safety.
The Platform
for Internet Content Selection is a rating system for Web sites.
SafeSurf
explains the use of voluntary site identification codes to rate
the Web site content.
