Make Sure Children Use the Internet for the Right Reasons

 

 

 

It is a good thing that children love using the internet for various activities. After all, the internet is an excellent source of information. However, this same technology can also expose you to a number of internet threats such as viruses, spyware and worms can utilize security loopholes in your PC to steal your personal information and other valuable data.

 

Therefore, every time that your kids are online, they need to exercise extreme caution so as not to disclose information that can drive you to financial ruin. Discussed herein, are tips and guidelines on how to ensure that your children are safe each time they are online:

 

Install security programs

 

The first thing that you need to do is to install security applications such as antivirus, firewall, antispyware and parental control software in your home PC. Remember, you will not always be there to monitor what your kids are doing in the computer. These security applications are designed to filter the information coming into and out of your LAN – Local Area Network. For example, a firewall functions in analyzing both the inbound and outbound traffic for suspicious online threats. Parental control software will ensure that your kids are not browsing or viewing websites that are potentially dangerous such as gambling and adult sites.

 

In addition to installing security applications, you need to update them on a regular basis. Software update ensures that the applications in your computer are kept abreast with the latest internet threats.

 

Security while on social networks

 

Did you know that kids spend 50% plus of their time in social network sites? Internet fraudsters are aware of this and use it as an avenue of stealing personal data or abusing children. As such, advice your child against posting all of his personal information such as home address and details of the school he or she is going to. Moreover, they should not just befriend or follow anybody that is on their friend’s lists.

 

The following are some of the things that you can educate your child on regarding online safety:

- Do not just download any file from your email or website. A number of malicious files are usually disguised as music or movie files. To ensure that this rule is followed at all times, assign user rights on your home PC. Moreover, change user settings to prevent installation of applications.

 

- Do not reply to unsolicited email messages. These could be emails from fraudsters looking to steal information from you.

 

- Educate your children on the importance of not just clicking on any “okay” or “yes” buttons.

- Encourage your children to report to you suspicious emails or websites.

 

The greatest fear of any parent is cyber bullying. It’s far worse than school yard bullying. There are children that have committed suicide as a result of cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is mainly being perpetrated through social network sites and IM tools. To ensure that your child is not a victim of cyber bullying, educate them on:

 

- What is cyber bullying?

 

- What they should do the moment they notice cyber bullying.