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- Talk with your children about the dangers of Internet use; include the potential dangers of sexual exploitation or victimization.
- Tell your children if they are sent an inappropriate picture from anyone to immediately tell you and they will not be in trouble. Pornographic pictures are typically sent by child molesters. If your child receives a picture or video contact your local police department.
- Watch the sites your child frequently goes to. Review the site for safety and potential dangers. Discuss these things with your child.
- If your child has a computer in their own room you should frequently search their computer. If you use the search function and type in the following words you may find potential problems: Porn, JPG (this will give you a long list of pictures; look through them), MPEG (Movies), video, boys, girls, XXX, GIF, and BMP.
- Frequently review your child’s computer history. If the history is deleted your child is trying to hide something. If they are unaware of the history function you should be able to see all the sites your child has seen.
- Make it a rule that you have the password to any email addresses, private message boards, private chat rooms, and sites like MySpace. Sometimes you have to log in to see what is going on with your child and you need the passwords to do this.
- Tell them to NEVER meet anyone off the Internet face-to-face.
- Tell them to never give out identifying information over the Internet. This includes: Full name, home address, phone numbers, where they go to school, and/or any family members names or work places.
- Tell them to never respond to messages that are inappropriate in anyway and to come tell you if something like that happens. If you report your child being approached by someone over the Internet you could stop a child molester in their tracks. Sending inappropriate pictures or materials to a child over the Internet is a felony and is considered child molestation. They will be arrested and charged with the crime.
- Tell them to never upload (post) pictures of themselves onto the Internet or on-line service to people they do not personally know.
- Tell them to never give out identifying information such as their name, home address, school name, or telephone number.
- Tell them to never download pictures from an unknown source, as there is a good chance there could be sexually explicit images.
- Tell them to never respond to messages or bulletin board postings that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, or harassing.
- Tell them that whatever they are told on-line may or may not be true.
