(NC)-Parents have known that keeping their children safe is a parenthood priority. But not many of us know how to make this work in an online environment. Many kids spend as much time socializing with each through networks such as FaceBook as they do in face to face interactions.
The Virtual School Society which provides an online education portal for British Columbia kids in kindergarten through grade 12 to access courses and services (www.learnnowbc.ca) has also created a series of free internet videos to help parents who are looking for information on how to keep their kids safe in cyberspace.
Some of the top tips:
• Never place a computer in a child's room. Keep it in a public location where parents can easily be aware of what kids are doing online.
• Have a basic understanding of: 1) what a web browser is and how it works; 2) what social networks such as FaceBook and MySpace are. Your kids do - and you need to as well.
• Don't let children have a webcam. The RCMP reports that many cases of child exploitation begin through a seemingly innocent exchange of videos through the internet.
• If at anytime you believe your child is at immediate risk, call 911.
• Let your kids know that if they stumble upon a questionable site that you will not punish them. Encourage them to tell you what they find so you can check it out.
• If you have concerns about material that your child has received in email, contact ChildFind Manitoba, which provides a clearinghouse that reviews websites and email content and sends it to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Their average turnaround time to check into a complaint is six hours and they will forward it to the appropriate authorities.
More cybersafety tips including explanations of how FaceBook and MySpace work are available at no charge at www.learnnowbc.ca.
Credit: www.newscanada.com