As 37 countries around the world recognize Feb. 8 as Safer Internet Day, OPP insp. Mark Allen is reminding parents they have an important role to play ensuring their children are safe on the Internet.
“About 94 percent of Canadian children are regular users of the Internet at home,” Allen said in a news release.
“They use the Internet for everything from homework research, to gaming to instant messaging. Police, parents and the community must work together to raise awareness and promote safe use of the Internet, particularly among youth.”
While the Internet provides learning opportunities, it also opens the door to the potential exploitation of children, Allen said, including cyber bullying and online threats. Parents should be aware of what sites their children are accessing and monitor their Internet use, he added.
An American survey found that 66 percent of all young Internet users have been exposed to pornography online by accident.
There are a number of websites that provide parents with Internet safety information, including sites with pledges of safe use contracts such as: www.safekids.com/contract.htm and www.bewebaware.ca.
Allen said parents should discuss the potential dangers of the Internet with their children and educate them on how to handle situations if they arise. Here are some basic things parents can do:
- Create a list of Internet house rules with them. Including sites that are off limits, internet hours and guidelines for communicating with others online.
- Monitor sites visited by your child (use an Internet-filtering tool such as CYBERsitter or Net Nanny, as a complement but not a replacement for parental supervision).
- Keep the computer in an open area of the home.
- Remind children not to give their password(s) to anyone other than their parents.
- Unplug web cams when they’re not in use.
- Be sure who they’re talking to before allowing them to turn on a web cam.
- Make sure they never reveal personal information.
- Know which chat rooms they visit and whom they talk to. Encourage the use of monitored chat rooms and insist they stay in public chat room areas.
- Talk to them about their online friends activities such as instant messaging list and ensure they’re not talking to strangers
- Insist they never agree to meet an online friend.
- Encourage them to tell you if something or someone online makes them feel uncomfortable or threatened.
