Computerized Family

 

 

Raising Street-Smart Kids on the Information Super-Highway by Natalie Walker Whitlock, the "Dot-Com-Mom"

Left alone for the afternoon on the streets of LA, New York or any busy city, chances are good your child would run in to an assortment of unsavory, unsuitable individuals and situations. Alone in a strange place with millions of strangers, they'd be at risk for a variety of dangers.

The same holds true for the Internet. From surfing the Web, chatting, to opening their e-mail mailbox, kids are at risk for some pretty scary stuff.

"It's the same on the Internet as in the real world," said Colin Hatcher, cofounder and director of CyberAngels (www.Cyberangels.com), the online version of the Guardian Angels organization. "Parents need to take the same precautions as they would if their kids were walking down the street."

But as in any "real world" situation, kids have choices in cyberspace on how to deal with dangers. Knowing the particular risks of online life is the first step to helping insure your kids' safety. The more you know, the more you can anticipate what they'll face.

So, what are the risks for kids online? Some of the material on the Internet parents would likely find objectionable or inappropriate for their children include:

* pornography and explicit sexual content
* hatred, racism and violence
* drugs, alcohol and tobacco
* privacy violation
* viruses
* computer crime (aka hacking)
* "flaming" - rude and obnoxious people
* gambling
* scams and fraud
* misinformation and hype
* commercialism -- advertising that is highly manipulative of children
* possible contact with predators and pedophiles

Fortunately, we have a variety of choices to help keep the "junk" away from our kids. You can create a Family Internet Use Contract (outlined in my book), and have all family members sign it and post it near the computer. You can stock a technology toolbox, full of filtering, blocking, monitoring and tracking software. You can use the parental controls included with your ISP or online service, and you can check your browser's cache to follow your kids' online movements. You can limit young children to only kid-safe Websites, and use only kid-friendly search engines and directories. You can share a password with your child, so you can keep tabs on their e-mails and online friends. You can even "spy" on them with programs that make it possible for you to track every online movement, including chats and instant messages in real time, even if you are away from home.

Truly, technology has provided parents today with numerous options. But the high-tech safety tools mentioned here are only a piece of the solution - not the whole pie.

"Technology is not a replacement for good parenting," said America Online Chairman Steve Case. "I think technology is a supplement that gives parents the tools to make the choices that they think are appropriate."

Finally, I offer my rule numero uno -- children need conscientious adult involvement to ensure that their Internet experience is entertaining, educational - and safe. Although today's products and technologies offer a welcome safety net, the best defense against Internet misuse is still you.

Natalie Walker Whitlock is an technology expert, Mom to seven, and author of the new book, "A Parent's Guide to the Internet." As "Dot-Com-Mom"