How to Keep Kids Online Safety

What is Online Safety?

Online safety or Internet safety is the security of people and their info when using the Internet. Numerous groups, Internet sites and governments have expressed concerns over the safety of children using the Internet. In the UK the Get Safe Online campaign has received sponsorship from government agency SOCA and major Internet companies such as Microsoft and eBay. Several crimes can be committed on the Internet such as stalking, identity theft and more. Most social networking and chat sites have a page about safety.

The main issues with Online safety include:

• Avoiding 'net nasties' including: phishing, malware and viruses.
• Avoiding unwelcome sites, particularly pornography and other sites that may be unsuitable for children.

Some News On Online Safety

Children learn Online safety through school programs

Safety on the Internet is very important to officials in Dexter Schools. According to interim superintendent Mary Marshall, the district has programs in place to teach students about the dangers and what students need to be aware of regarding the Internet.

"The past two years we have had a speaker come in after school to talk about cyber-awareness," Marshall said. "This was a joint meeting for Bates and Cornerstone.

"This year, Cornerstone has a speaker from the State of Michigan come as a part of the Michigan CSI (Michigan Cyber Safety Initiative.)"

She said the presenter took 40 minutes to present and review Internet safety. On Dec. 15 at Mill Creek there was a parent presentation regarding sexting and Internet safety for parents.

Fifth- and sixth-grade school students at Creekside were taught lessons as part of their experience in the media center. The media specialist Lucinda Palmer taught these lessons.

"In teaching Internet safety I cover fake web sites, Facebook issues and most of my students are on Facebook with their parent's approval," Palmer said.

She said they teach about never giving out personal information, online bullying and remembering once something is out on the net you can never get it back.

"They understand what bias is," she said. "It is all about being careful and being kind."

Marshall said that for the past three years, Dexter High School students have been involved in a county- wide program call "Web Chicks."

"The goal of the group is to have young women from the high school educate other high school kids and middle school kids about Internet safety," Marshall said. "The group has about 30 Dexter High School students and will head to Mill Creek in January and do their presentation to various health classes.

"The group as grown tremendously since its inception. They have also been a wonderful support group for students that have made the mistake of posting or sending pictures of themselves via electronic media."

Online Safety Guide

Everyone's Job to Keep Kids' Online Safety

1. Parents need to stay in close touch with their kids as they explore the Internet.

2. Teachers need to help students use the Internet appropriately and safely.

3. Community groups, including libraries, after-school programs, and others should help educate the public about safe surfing.

4. Kids and teens need to learn to take responsibility for their own behavior -- with guidance from their families and communities.

5. It's not at all uncommon for kids to know more about the Internet and computers than their parents or teachers. If that's the case in your home or classroom, don't despair. You can use this as an opportunity to turn the tables by having your child teach you a thing or two about the Internet. Ask her where she likes to go on the Internet and what she thinks you might enjoy on the Net. Get your child to talk with you about what's good and not so good about his Internet experience. Also, no matter how Web-literate your kid is, you should still provide guidance. You can't automate good parenting.

Online Safety Guide for Kids

1. If I want to give out or type in information about myself online, I will first show my parents - even if it's to enter a game or contest.

2. I will only respond to emails or instant messages from people I know (or from addresses I know).

3. If I receive an email or IM that makes me uncomfortable or I think is weird, I not respond and will show my parents or my teacher.

4. If a Web site asks me to type in my name, address, email and hobbies, I will ask my parents first if it's OK.

5. If someone I met online wants to meet me in the real world, I will tell my parents first.

6. If a Web site asks for my parents' email address so that they can seek their permission for me to enter a game or provide my personal information, I will always provide my parents' correct information.

Surveilstar - A Trustworthy Kids' Online Safeguard

Using Internet communication tools such as social networking, chat rooms, e-mail, and instant messaging can put children at potential risk of encountering online predators. The anonymity of the Internet means that trust and intimacy can develop quickly online. Predators take advantage of this anonymity to build online relationships with inexperienced young people. Kids feel they are aware of the dangers of predators, but in reality, they are quite naive about online relationships. As a parent, it is necessary to warn your child against the online dangers. Making the child aware of the harm of online dangers can offer him some protection against the online dangers.

SurveilStar is a parental control software solution and will help you track emails, IM’s, chats, social networking, websites visited, images viewed, etc. To start an all-out strategic battle to protect kids from online dangers, while still letting them safely enjoy the games and resources that are available on the Internet, SurveilStar is the perfect solution that can be used for filtering web site content and monitoring the web sites the kids are viewing on the Internet:

Screen Shot Capture Video Surveillance:

Every time your child starts their computer and goes online, Surveilstar Parental control software goes to work, automatically taking screen shots of everything they do on-line so you can monitor what they do and keep them safe. These screen shots are automatically saved in a hidden password protected directory on the hard drive for you to review later when the child is away.

Screen Shot Capture:

• Records EVERYTHING shown on the computer screen.
• Time and Date that the screen capture was taken.
• When the Windows user logged on when screen capture was taken.
• Print individual screen shots.

Detailed Recorded Visual History Of:

• Every web site and chat site visited.
• Every Instant message and chat window.
• All email messages.
• Any and all software programs used.
• And even the keystrokes your child typed.

Surveilstar Parental Software will give you valuable insight into your child's behavior online, and the peace of mind to know exactly where they are surfing online & what kind of content they are trying to access. It is really a trustworthy online safeguard for your kids!