CHILDREN AND THE INTERNET Ever since it became popular, the Internet has been covered in controversy. Because it was originally designed with no central location through which information passes, it therefore has no governing body. While this fact gives the Internet its commercial strength and the ability to share knowledge world-wide, it makes those with young children understandably nervous. The main problem in preventing young children from seeing, hearing, or reading improper material is that, as described above, there is no central location on the Internet that can filter or ban indecent material. However, to solve this obvious need, many software products are available, designed to run on the user's computer, that are able to filter out inappropriate words and block known objectionable sites on the Internet. Many of these programs allow the installer to restrict use of the Internet to certain hours, define what is considered offensive, log Internet usage, and otherwise monitor a child's on-line activities. Many of these software products are available in computer stores or may be ordered from their own on-line websites (see below). Child Safety Software Net Nanny Cyber Patrol SurfWatch CYBERsitter Jersey-Mall.com neither endorses nor recommends any specific program listed above. They are presented here in the interest of the community as a resource by our users. A Parent's Check List The FBI has made the following recommendations to parents regarding their children's use of the Internet: Unsupervised Access - Never allow children, including teenagers, to have unsupervised access to the Internet. Keep the computer in a public area of the home; make it a habit to periodically, and without warning, observe what they are doing. Family Participation - Make using the Internet a group or family activity in which all members of the household can participate. Know Your ISP's Services - Learn about the services offered by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or in-line service. Determine whether the system allows you to block your child from accessing certain sites, such as chat rooms, and take advantage of those types of services. Personal Information Nondisclosure - Instruct children that whenever they are on-line, they should never give out identifying information such as last names, phone numbers, addresses, Social Security numbers or the names of schools they attend. It's Not Always the Truth - Emphasize to children that what they are told on-line may not be true. A person who claims to be a 12-year-old girl may, in fact, be a 50-year-old man. Restrict Uploading Pictures - Children should never upload pictures of themselves to people they do not know. They could be uploading it to a pedophile. Bulletin Boards - Children should never respond to messages or bulletin board postings that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent or harassing. Personal Contact - Instruct children never to arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they have met on the Internet. Restrict Downloading Pictures - Children should never download pictures from an unknown source, as there is a good chance it will be pornography. Time Restrictions - Monitor the times of day that your child accesses the Internet or on-line service, and the duration of the on-line session. Excessive time on-line, especially during the evening or late-night hours, may be indicative of a problem. Monitoring Activity - If you become suspicious that your child is misusing the computer, discuss your concerns with the child. If warranted, consider examining the computer's hard drive for inappropriate material. Know What Your Kids Are Doing - Do not make the mistake of using the computer as a babysitter. A Few Other Child Safety Resources Cyber Angels - Kids Online Internet Safety Program Yahoo - Listing of Blocking and Filtering Software Resource by Jersey-Mall.com