Keeping your children safe online while they enjoy all of the positive opportunities the Internet offers is a challenging task. Although you do not want to keep them from interacting with their friends you should be concerned about their safety while they are using the Internet. So what is the answer?

Knowing where to draw the line can be a tough decision for a parent to make. For instance, most parents did not grow up in the age of the Internet and computers so you may be unaware of how criminals operate online. On the other hand, you may be very tech savvy as a parent but you are having a difficult time trying to determine how much freedom to give your child without exposing them to danger. The good news is there are a few things you can do to reduce the chances of your child being approached by a predator or viewing inappropriate content online.

Educate Yourself

If you are unaware of how criminals operate online it is highly likely that there are cyber safety classes offered in your local community perhaps through the schools, law enforcement, or community groups. Today’s predators and criminals are very tech savvy and sophisticated. The more you know about how they operate the better you can make informed decisions about how to best protect your child online.

Use Parental Control Software

Do your research and find a high quality version of parental control software. There is a wide selection available some of which is really effective and some which is not. Look for software that allows you to set restrictions for more than one user account to accommodate your children if they are different ages. The software that you choose should also allow you to configure the settings so it can be hidden from view on the computer which will help prevent your kids from disabling it or bypassing it altogether. The parental control software should also be capable of customizing the restrictions on each account which only you can control from a master password. You should be able to configure different privileges and limitations according to each user account on the family computer.

Talk to Your Children about the Internet

If you talk openly to your children about the Internet it is highly likely you will find that they will listen and they will be less likely to be curious. With younger children you may also find that they think when they post personal information online only their friends can see it. Talk to them about the importance of private settings and do not be afraid to explain to them how criminals operate online. Most children are unaware of the sneaky tactics that predators use to get close to them and establish a rapport.

Let your children know that if anything ever makes them uncomfortable online that they can communicate their feelings to you and you both will discuss it. If necessary ask to see what made them uncomfortable and if it appears to be threatening enough show it to your local law enforcement.

Also, talk to your kids about the dangers of cyber bullying and encourage them to talk to you if they are being bullied online. In many cases, cyber bullying is the biggest threat concerning young people these days and is more of a concern then the chances of a predator contacting your child online. The anonymity that the Internet offers has elevated school bullying to a new level since there is no face to face contact and there are steps that must be taken for someone to get caught.

Finally, let your children know that you trust them but it is other people you do not trust hence the reason for the deployment of parental control software. In most instances you will find that once your children understand the dangers of the Internet they will naturally want to be careful on their own which will help you with another step toward watching out for their safety. However, if they are not educated on the dangers, their tech savvy ability could get in the way of taking the precautions necessary to recognize dangers when they occur.