Special Sub-Topic: Internet Safety 101: For Parents Click Here To Play: Internet Safety 101: For Parents

You've just gotten a computer and can access the Internet for the first time at home. What is the most important factor to consider when trying to decide where to place the computer?

It needs to be in a place where an adult can monitor the activity.. The computer should be placed in an area that is well-used so the parents or adults can monitor what the children are doing while on the Internet. Computers, when connected to the Internet, should not be placed in secluded areas like bedrooms as there is no way to make sure that the children are being safe. When I was younger, the computer was in a room that wasn't always used, but the monitor faced the door and my parents would walk by every so often to see what I was up to. Sometimes they'd come in the room (although I resented the intrusion!) and ask me what I was up to.

It is possible to make the Internet 100% safe for children without sitting next to them the entire time they are online.

f. Even children's sites can be places where unscrupulous people are found. One thing some pedophiles do is pose as children on websites designed specifically for kids. Programs like WebNanny cannot be 100% effective, as they only block certain things and, as many hackers can attest, there is always a way around a brick wall. The only way to be absolutely sure that your children are safe is to sit next to them and watch everything they do on the computer.

Should you tell your children that some personal information is ok to give out?

n. Everyone, especially children, should not give out personal information. Even something as what city a person is in can be used to find out someone's address or other personal information. Children should be told not to give out any information and that if they ever aren't sure about something, to let an adult know.

Chat rooms designed solely for children are safe.

f. Sometimes adults will pose as children in order to get the children to open up and give personal information. To help keep your child safe, teach them about Internet safety, not to give out personal information and to alert an adult if anything doesn't feel right.

If your child is using the Internet on their own, should you ask them questions about what they have been doing?

Yes - it helps facilitate communication and they'll be more apt to tell you if something was wrong.. Keeping the lines of communication open is always important. If you ask questons, your childi will be more apt to talk about websites they've seen, funny emails they received, new friends they've made *and* if there's anything that happened that scared them or made them uneasy.

Children can't access XXX sites because those sites require age verification.

f. Unfortunately, 'age verification' is basically on the honor system. Most websites consist of two links: "I am over 18" which goes to the XXX site and another "I am not yet 18" that will go to something like disney.com. All a child has to do is click on the "I am over 18" site and they have access to that site's content. Even the ones that require a credit card (usually to charge for access to the site) can easily be entered - all a child has to do is find an adult's card or bill and enter the numbers.

Internet filters are 100% effective.

f. Nothing is 100% effective. Some of the filters will filter out websites on topics such as "MarS EXplorer" as the two words together have 'sex' in the middle. Other filters are easily circumvented by the website designers not putting any of the 'average' filtered words or letters on their main page. Check the spam email you've received and you'll see odd characters that can get those emails past your own filters. The best filter is a parent sitting next to their kid while they use the Internet.

Even if your child is the most well-behaved and mature child in the world, should you still think about Internet safety?

Yes - sometimes trouble can find your child even if they take all possible precautions.. Even though you've taught your child about Internet safety, there is nothing that makes the Internet 100% safe. Internet safety is not only a concern if your child uses chatrooms: websites have bulletin boards, email has mailing lists and spam mail, etc. And if your child slips up and gives out their name and phone number, that one slip up could be to an adult whose intentions are less than admirable.

Which of the following will NOT help reduce unsolicited (spam) mail from entering your child's inbox?

Only give it out on reputable websites.. There are some programs that will 'troll' the Internet looking for anything that even remotely looks like an e-mail address in order to sell it to all sorts of people, some of whom will use it to send pornographic material. Although you can never totally stop all unsolicited email, you can reduce it by only giving out the email address to people you know. By setting up filters, some spam mail can be automatically trashed. Using some Internet safety programs can also filter out or block email, as well as bad websites. However, even 'reputable' websites may end up not being reputable or may give it to partner companies (or even subsidieries) without your knowledge.

Why should your child NEVER post their age and/or location ANYWHERE on the Internet?

It's like a neon sign for those who might do someone harm.. Even on this website, we do not allow children to put their ages/email addresses in profiles because someone may use that information to contact your child. Yes, their age will change with time - but that is not why it is unsafe to put that information online. Also, giving out your location is also not good because those 'bad people' know tricks that they can use to find your child. I hope this quiz helped you. Children should not be taught that the Internet is a scary, dangerous place but they should be taught to be careful and if something doesn't feel right, to leave that situation and tell an adult. By knowing what your child is doing, by using programs that monitor the Internet, sitting next to your child, or just talking with them about their Internet usage, your child will be more likely to be honest and open with you about their activities.