Internet SecurityGuaranteed to Protect Your FamilyInternet security is an important part of a positive internet experience, especially for those with young children and teens online. Even if you are able to constantly monitor your child's internet usage (sit with them when they are online) you may still experience unwanted content on your computer. I have personally had many unwanted things end up on my computer and I consider myself a very cautious and savvy surfer, so I know it happens. You probably already know that the internet can be a dangerous place for a child. Television and newspapers are full of bad news stories related to online chat rooms or social networking websites. However, it is a fact that there is a lot more good online than bad.  More Good Than BadThe internet has a wealth of good information and good websites that can give you a positive online experience. There is more good than bad online, but that is no reason to not take this seriously. If you or someone in your home is concerned about unsolicited internet pornography and adult content slipping through the cracks and ending up on your PC you need to take precautions. You Trust Your Kids?! I think most parents want to be able to say they trust their kids to do the right thing and not get caught up in bad things online. Even if you do trust your kids, internet security isn't about trusting your kids. Let me say that again, internet security isn't about trusting your kids. Here are some staggering statistics that may shock you...
One in four children who use the Internet are exposed to unsolicited sexual material 2.5 billion emails per day are pornographic (YES BILLION!) 70 percent of sexual advances over the Internet happened while youngsters were on a home computer 21 percent of teens say they have looked at something on the Internet that they wouldn't want their parents to know While most people online are not there to cause you or your kids harm, there are some steps that you as a parent will want to take to protect yourself and your child when they use the internet. While 77% of surveyed people said they thought their computers were well-protected, 4 out of 5 had spyware or adware programs running on their computers, many being responsible for uninvited adult content! How to protect your family from all unwanted adult content!  Make it Easy to Stay SafeYou can trust your kids and make it easy to stay safe online. The first thing you should do is use what internet security you have available. Most computers these days come with some form of parental controls but they only work if you use them. Use Parental Controls to set limits on your child's access to the web, the hours that they can log on to the computer, and which games they can play and programs they can run. On your computer, open up Control Panel and you should find a Parental Controls icon. Clicking on that enables you to set what controls you want for your computer and/or for each user. If you don't have parental controls already on your computer it is very important you get some kind of third party software to provide you and your family with protection. Click here to protect your family from all unwanted adult content! Don't forget to also set safe search options in your browser. Google has SafeSearch that you can turn on or off. When turned off even the word "hot" will return some questionable and possibly inappropriate image results. If your child was researching a school report of hot places (temperature) they may end up with hot (as in sexual) pictures instead. Is that acceptable to you? I didn't think so.  Don't Leave Internet Security To Chance Put the computer where you can monitor usage, then monitor usage. Kids are less likely to click on that curious link or participate in questionable behavior if mom or dad are close by and they know they will be subject to random checks of their online activities. Knowing at least a little something about computers is also important. A lot of young kids are very computer savvy and can easily outsmart mom and dad by hiding their online activities. I don't have to tell you how dangerous this can be. If you don't know a thing about computers you can't possibly protect your children online. Take a course, do self study, or ask other parents and share thoughts and ideas. Google Online Security Blog Don't be afraid to be the bad guy. Would you rather your child be mad at you for taking away the computer, or you child be taken advantage of by some pervert pretending to be a friend? YOU have to set limits if you expect your child to respect them. Protect your family from all unwanted adult content! Finally, it is important that you talk with your kids about the possible dangers of using the internet. Don't scare them. Teach them what to do if they are harassed online or approached by an internet predator. Make sure they know not to erase the information, but rather to save it or show it to you right away, especially if you decide to contact your local police department. Did you find this information useful? Contact me with your questions, comments, and suggestions! Home < Wireless Internet Security < Internet Security < You Are Here  New! CommentsHave your say about what you just read!Leave me a comment in the box below. |
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