It is important as a parent or caregiver to be familiar with the general operations of the computer and the Internet. The more you know, the more you can educate your child and prevent them from harmful predators and cyberbullying. Basic computer courses are offered at local park districts and junior colleges. Have your child sit and show you how to use the computer, how the Internet works, what websites they visit, and how they navigate to them. It is also important to know how blogs, social networking sites, and email works too. Internet environments (online chat rooms, instant messaging, social networking, etc.) are equipped to send messages rich in abbreviations, acronyms, and other shorthand that help increase the speed of communication. It is important to familiarize yourself with these messages so that you can understand conversations being held between your child and another.

There is a lot of material on the Internet that is inappropriate for children. Parents can use filtering software to protect children from that material, but filters do not guarantee that children will not be exposed; a filter will never be a substitute for parents' presence. Monitor your child's online behavior. Keep your family computer in a highly visible common area, like the family room or kitchen. Ask your children to show you what sites they go to, and be open and willing to discuss the inappropriate material they might come across.

If your children give out personal information over the Internet, not only is it easy to track, it's tough to completely remove. Emphasize to them how important it is that they keep personal information private. Make sure they have a strong (ideally, alphanumeric) username and password that don't reveal anything personal. Encourage them not to give out their email address, if they have one. If your children tell you that they have given out personal information online, contact your Internet service provider or the site where the information is posted to see what you can do to have it removed. Do not let your child share too much information. Avoid posting anything too personal online on any social networking sites (e.g., Facebook, Myspace, Twitter), blogs, or profiles. Don't post any videos online (such as Youtube) that will give out too much information or get you into trouble with another child or adult. Have your child use privacy settings and don't accept just anyone as a friend on social networking sites.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other government agencies all work together to fight Internet crimes against children. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children established CyberTipline, a reporting mechanism for cases of child sexual exploitation including child pornagraphy, online enticement of children for sex acts, molestation of children outside the family, sex tourism of children, child victims of prositution, and unsolicited obscene material sent to a child. Reports may be made 24 hours per day/7 days a week online at www.cyberTipline.com by calling 800.843.5678.

Source: www.usccb.org & www.netsmartz.org