Internet Safety Tips

• The Internet is a valuable tool for students to assist with their course work and explore many varied topics from sports to movies.
• While exploring the Internet young people may place themselves in danger.
• It is possible to “meet” many strangers on the Internet and to engage in dialogue with them.
• As in life, not everyone on the Internet is the person they portray themselves to be.
• Your child may create a personalized page or Web site to communicate with young people with similar interests.
• Frequently young people reveal a great deal about themselves on their web page and/or through the dialogue they have with “strangers” on the Internet.
• Web sites such as MySpace.com and other similar sites attempt to limit the site to only persons 16 years of age or older. However, there is no real way to determine age on the Internet.
• Obviously, there may be unscrupulous persons searching the Internet and attempting to contact young people for the wrong reasons.
• As a parent you need to know the sites your child visits on the Internet.
• You also need to know with whom your child is conversing over the Internet.
• This technology has created new types of crimes, new ways to victimize young people and new addictions that were not present in the past.
• Young people may become involved in illegal activities through contacts on the Internet. Pedophiles may attempt to arrange meetings with your child using Internet conversations and pretending to be a young person. Young people may find, explore and become addicted to visiting pornographic sites.
• Should you believe your child might be involved in unhealthy activities as a result of using the Internet, there is help available.
• School counselors, local safety forces and state and national agencies have made resources available to help parents ensure the safety of their children.
• If you believe your child may be utilizing the Internet for the wrong reasons, there are initial steps you can take:
• • Install monitoring software on your home computers that track the sites your child explores;
  • Install software that blocks sites to which you do not want your child exposed;
  • Cancel or limit your Internet service;
  • Seek professional psychological help for a child that appears to suffer from an Internet related addiction.

At www.parmacityschools.org is a list of Web sites that can help you better understand the dangers the Internet can pose for children. Also, we have a list of Web sites and agencies that can help you monitor your child’s Internet use. Finally, if after investigation, you feel your child may be in real danger as a result of cyber dialogues, contact your local police department  immediately.