Welcome to the The Parents Learning Center
Internet Safety Center believes that education is the key to computer security and protecting children online. The Learning Center is designed to do just that. Our goal is to help educate parents on subjects such as computer security, social networking dangers, cyberbullying, identity theft, internet safety, internet security, and all other subjects that relate to protecting you and your children online.
We are also frequently get asked how to do certain things like backup email, adding or backing up contacts, and managing internet favorites. The learning center is not only dedicated to providing internet safety education, but also teaching and educating individuals on baisc internet functions. The family computer has become just as important as the phone or television, and we want to help you get the most of your machine.
Social Networking Guide for Children
Internet Safety Center has developed a set of rules all parents should follow to assure your child is safe from cyberbullying and online predators on social networking sites.
Rule 1: Parents should review the security policy of social networking sites (MySpace,Facebook, etc) that their child may want to join.
Social networking sites have separate security policies that may differ from one another. As a result, understaning these policies, especially when it comes to the rles for contacting minors, must be understood.
Basic Ground Rules for social networking sites
- Don’t allow your child to use their complete name. Have them use first name and last initial or whatever you feel comfortable with.
- Don’t allow your child to post any address, or home or cell phone number.
- Establish daily time limits on how long your chld can be on the social networking sites
- Tell your child only pictures you approve are allowed to be posted on the site.
- Tell your child they aren’t allowed to meet anybody from the site you don’t personally know.
- Make sure that the maximum privacy setting are in place for your child. This will go along way to ensure that your child cannot be contacted by an unknown individual.
Rule 2: Parents need to understand how the social networking sites works.
Parents need to understand how their children interact with others and how others contact your children. Parents must familiarize themselves with the terminology and communication methods used on each webiste. Most social networking have information for parents easily accessible on their homepage.
Rule 3: Parents should create an account on the social networking site their child wants to join, and tell your child that he or she can't have an account unless they make you a friend.
This is absolutely critical for all parents because it provides you with a great deal of oversight including:
- You can see your child's wall and who is posting messages to your child.
- You can review your child's friend list
- You can review the pictures being posted online and make sure they are appropriate.
This actually is the most critical rule for all parents to follow. Online predators could be contacting your child without you knowing. Messages can be removed from “walls” so checking your child's page before messages are removed will keep you one step ahead of online predators.
Rule 4: Advise your children that information posted on social networking sites are public domain.
This means the information post can be used against your child in any way. If they are looking for a job or getting ready to apply for college, it is not all that uncommon for employers and colleges admissions officers to search for an applicant on social networking sites.