Internet Safety

It is hard to imagine life before the Internet. While a lot of technology seems to have taken years to evolve, the Internet sort of just showed up one day. On Tuesday, only a select few used e-mail and exchanged information electronically. Then we all woke up on Wednesday and every ad in the paper or on TV had a web address that you could visit to get more information.

The Internet is a great tool for sharing ideas and knowledge. Can't get that crossword puzzle completed? Do a search in Google or Bing for "Met Melody" and the answer "aria" appears. Can't find directions to that new restaurant you heard about from a friend in an e-mail? Do a search in Google Maps or MapQuest and you can get turn-by-turn directions.

Yes the Internet is a wonderful tool. Unfortunately it has its darker neighborhoods as well. You can get addicted to pornography, learn how to become a domestic terrorist, or develop into a sexual online predator. Please forgive me if I don't provide links to where you can find this stuff.

While I am not immune from wasting my time in the more seedy parts of the Internet, I do a pretty good job of using it for the good stuff and avoiding the rest. I am more concerned about my children. Just as you cannot restrict your children to staying inside your own house forever, you can't erect foolproof walls of protection around their computer usage. Instead you need to work with your children and help educate them about Internet dangers and how to avoid them. Here are some tips that I have found to be effective:

1. Place the computer in a public room. We keep ours in the family room where everyone can see how computer is being used.
2. Talk with your kids about the dangers of the Internet and what to do if they accidently visit a site they are not supposed to see.
3. Set reasonable limits on computer time and strictly enforce them.
4. Monitor the sites your kids are visiting. My router that connects all of our home computers to the internet creates a report showing which computers have visited which sites. Use this report and show your kids that you are monitoring it.
5. Use programs like CYBERsitter and Net Nanny to reduce the number of accidental site visits.

Will these steps ensure your childrens' complete safety? No but they are a good start. Any smart kid will know how to get through any fences you build around the Internet. So talk with your children and help them understand why certain places are dangerous. In the end it is best to have your children helping you and not working against you.