Internet Safety and Your Family

When adults worry about the Internet, most think first of children’s safety. What are kids being exposed to? Will they be victims of predators? Will they be cyber-bullied by their own classmates? Is there a chance that they are hacking or harassing someone?

Today, when almost every teenager and many younger children have 24/7 access to the Internet, we need to think about more than such basics as pornography filters and where the family computer is located.

Our kids carry cell phones, handhelds and laptops and can read and contribute to web sites, blogs, chat rooms, e-mail and listservs from almost everywhere: home, friends’ homes, classrooms, school and public libraries and Internet cafes. In fact, with open wireless networks, anyone with a wi-fi device can plug into the Internet while strolling sidewalks or cruising the streets.

Perhaps as important, what risks are we adults vulnerable to? We used to worry about buying online with a credit card and that’s still an issue, but there is much more to be aware of. With seemingly everything online today—and possibly archived forever—we need to understand what happens when we post a photo to a social networking site or add a comment to a blog. We may be unknowingly creating opportunities for identity theft, stalking and worse for ourselves and our children.

That’s why Parenting Press is providing this overview of the cyberworld in parent-friendly language.

Just as we offer introductions to child development, child guidance, emotional literacy and problem-solving, this book is designed to prepare you to make choices regarding your family’s Internet use. It is also designed to help schools meet the National Educational Technology Standards. Parenting Press expects to revise this material as opportunities and risks evolve in the online world.

Parent educators gave the text thumbs-up when author Carlson presented material from it at the 15th annual Northwest Parenting and Family Education Conference. “Great information!” wrote one attendee, while another expressed appreciation for the “Practical solutions and options.” Several said the information provided important alerts about spoofing, the use of wi-fi and disclosing personal information on web sites.