Internet Safety Guide for Parents

Introduction
Parents often feel powerless to control the Internet because they no not understand it. Often a young child can understands more about the Internet better than their parents. This page seeks to return the balance of power to the parents by educating them to the main dangers, and outline steps that can be taken to mitigate these real and current risks.

Understanding the Dangers
Your inquisitive children know more than you do! Not only can they delete their tracks using the browser's options, there is also free software available to cover all the traces of where they've been. A few of the dangers we cover here is, Peer to Peer, Chat Rooms, Email and Computer Games. All of these are easily accessible, and can bring terrible things into your home or bring your children in contact with bad company and influences.

Chat Rooms
Chat rooms are on the Internet. People from all around the world can chat by typing messages to each other. There are a variety of different forms and topics of discussion. Chat rooms are very popular with young people. Although the Filter Service is able to block many inappropriate chat rooms, education is an equally effective defense. Because it is very hard to identify the person you are chatting to, predators can masquerade as other children to coerce them into revealing private information so they can take advantage of them.

Peer to Peer (P2P) Dangers
P2P software is another dangerous threat on the Internet. The software is free to download on the Internet. Everything exchanged is free. There are no limitations, restrictions, laws or standards governing content. Most of the information exchanged is Pornography and Music. You can request specific images, videos, and music. Requesting ‘Bugs Bunny' may result in some pornographic results.

 

Web Based Email (Eg Hotmail, Yahoo)
Emails can be sent or received from anywhere in the world. Chat options allow people to type instant messages to each other. The dangers are that these accounts are bombarded daily with Spam email. (Unsolicited email) Children can receive dozens of emails daily inviting them to view porn, purchase drugs, and join bogus finance scams designed to rip people off

How can I protect my Children and Family?
1) The Filter Service can prevent the display of much of this content.
2) Education and awareness of the threats. Congratulations if you have read this entire page!
3) Supervision of your children while online.

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