Online Safety The Internet is a wonderful thing, the breadth and depth of information available is truly incredible but as with real life, there are bad people and bad places that should be avoided. This page offers a few ideas for both children and parents to help ensure that the Internet experience can be enjoyed and not spoilt by others. The ideas presented here are just that - ideas. They cannot guarantee that you will never come across anything unsavoury or that you will never receive unsolicited email. What you see is simply some common sense suggestions, nothing more and nothing less. The kids' rules were inspired by the page on www.safekids.com that has since been superceded, they are left here as a resource though as they are still relevant as they include a lot of common sense - and that never dates! Another very useful resource is http://www.brickhousesecurity.com/internet-safety-kids-teens.html which was suggested to us by a teacher who uses it as a reference for her students. Thanks Kery :) Kids' Rules for Online Safety 1. | I will not give out personal information such as my real address, telephone number, parents’ work address/telephone number, or the name and location of my school without my parents’ permission. | 2. | I will not give out the names or addresses (Including email addresses) of my friends or anybody else I know | 3. | I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable even if it’s an email from someone | 4. | I will never agree to get together with someone I "meet" online without first checking with my parents. If my parents agree to the meeting, I will be sure that it is in a public place and bring my mother or father along. | 5. | I will never cam with anybody or send a person my picture or anything else without first checking with my parents. | 6. | I will not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way make me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If I do I will tell my parents right away so that they can contact the service provider. | 7. | I will talk with my parents so that we can set up rules for going online. We will decide upon the time of day that I can be online, the length of time I can be online and appropriate areas for me to visit. I will not access other areas or break these rules without their permission. | 8. | I will not give out my Internet password to anyone (even my best friends) other than my parents. | 9. | I will check with my parents before downloading or installing software or doing anything that could possibly hurt our computer | 10. | I will be a good online citizen and not do anything that hurts other people or is against the law. | 11. | I will help my parents understand how to have fun and learn things online and teach them things about the Internet, computers and other technology | 12. | I will not make a website that has any of my details in it without my parents knowledge, if I want to make a website I will ask my parents to help me |
Having suggested some guidelines for kids, here are some for parents Parents’ Rules for Online Safety 1. | I will put the computer where I can see it and not in an area where I cannot easily see what is going on. | 2. | I will keep the computer up to date with anti-virus and anti-spyware programmes such as AVG (Anti-virus) and Ad-Aware (Anti-spyware) as well as the Microsoft updates | 3. | I will discuss appropriate rules such as the time of day & length of time they can be online as well as the types of site they can visit. I will ensure that they stick to this agreement | 4. | I will understand that children share email addresses with each other and therefore we may receive spam or offensive emails. I will not blame them if that happens | 5. | I will get to know their online friends in the same way I know their real life friends | 6. | I will listen to their questions or concerns and we will work together to answer them | 7. | If I allow them use of a microphone/webcam I will ensure that I know who they are talking to. | 8. | I will spend time online with them and allow them to show me the wonders of the Internet | 9. | I will ensure that they have read and understood the Kids’ rules for online safety listed above | 10. | I will occasionally check the computer to ensure that rule 3 is being followed |
Here are a few useful sites from the many thousands that are available: www.netsafekids.com www.internetsafetyzone.co.uk www.staysafe.org www.safekids.com www.kidsmart.co.uk | 
