subject: Ensuring Safe Social Networking For Your Kids [print this page] The Internet can be a really great place, whether you are shopping, socializing or learning, but safe social networking is something that needs to be enforced more than ever, especially with our kids and teenagers. Unfortunately there have already been numerous crimes, threats, injuries and even deaths around the country as a result of a breakdown in safe social networking. It is difficult to keep track of everything our children are doing when they are online, but it is so important. There is a right way and a wrong way to go about staying updated with what your kids are up to when they are on the computer. Here are a few things you need to keep in mind when it comes to keeping your children safe when they are online.
First of all, you have to instill in your children the serious consequences of activities like spreading rumors online, talking about or posting something negative about someone else, or posting something about themselves that may end up ruining their reputations. They sometimes do not realize and have a difficult time understanding that everything they do online can have consequences that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. You have to talk to your child about safe social networking as soon as he or she starts using the Internet. It is never too early to start discussing the importance of being safe, being responsible, and being smart. They also have to know that they should never, ever tell anyone their passwords, even their friends. Tell them why, and tell them what could happen if someone were to get a hold of those passwords.
A simple but important thing you can do is to encourage your kids to use the Internet to reinforce their interests; encourage your daughter to window shop on well known shopping sites; encourage your son to keep tabs on his favorite sports teams on the team websites. Encourage your first grader to play games at kid safe sites. Take the time to find the best and most useful websites that are all family safe, informational and fun.
A big part of safe social networking is never posting personal information for public eyes to see, such as your childs full name, their address or information about where they are going to be or where they go to school at. This only would make it easier for some terrible criminal to find your child. For example, explain to your child that if they were to post on Tuesday that on Saturday they are going to go to the local teen hangout at 8 p.m., a predator would look at that, and head to that place at that time, knowing your child would be arriving, and they would wait for them, snatch them up, and who knows what other terrible things could follow. Safe social networking is everyones responsibility, but it is up to parents and teachers to explain to children what the reasons are for all of these suggestions.
