Kentucky Center for School Safety Internet Safety Tips for Parents:

1.Create an open dialogue with your child to talk about their activities on the Internet and create rules for computer use.
2. Adults and youth use computers in different ways for different things. Engage your child as your teacher in what’s available online that you don’t know about.
3. Put home computers with Internet access in a visible location where you can monitor your child’s activities.
4. Surf the Internet with your child and discuss where the child likes to go and what they like to do. Use this time to educate your child on the dangers of visiting inappropriate sites, opening unknown emails/messages, befriending virtual acquaintances, and giving out personal information online.
5. Help your child create accounts/profiles on social networking sites, and know the password to any account he/she creates, just as you reserve the right to go into their room in your house. Also, create your own account on any social networking site (i.e. MySpace, Xanga, Facebook) and mandate your child to add you as a friend. This gives you access to your child’s personal web pages and activities.
6. Activate or buy software or navigational programs that limit your child’s Internet use. Remember that software does not take the place of parental guidance.
7. Tell your child never to give out personal information to anyone, such as name, age, birthday, school name, city, phone number, picture and other identifying information, and be cautious about information provided in casual conversation. Be sure all accounts are set to “private.”
8. Tell your child never to meet face-to-face with someone they met on the Internet unless they have your permission, and tell you right away if any online comments or activity makes them uncomfortable.
9. Inform local law enforcement, school or Internet Service Provider (ISP) when you or your child is concerned about Internet threats or illegal activity.