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Children, with their natural curiosity, often find the on-line experience exciting and rewarding. They can research virtually any topic, investigate hobbies or interests, and communicate with friends and family around the world. However, that vast accessibility also brings certain risks. While searching the web, children may stumble upon inappropriate material that is sexual, hateful or violent. In rare but more serious cases, children can become victims of pedophiles who use e-mail or chat rooms to gain a child's trust and then encourage a face-to-face meeting. Kids may also be exposed to information about drugs, alcohol, weapons and gambling or divulge personal information that can have legal or financial consequences for their parents. Like any child's environment, cyberspace is best explored with a parent. Spend time with your child on-line and have him show you his favorite web sites. Direct him to kid-friendly search engines and consider banning chat rooms. Warn kids about giving out identifying information like their name, home address, and school or phone number. The Internet provides an endless wealth of information and used safely, can be an enriching experience for your child. The following web sites offer more information on protecting our kids on-line: www.safekids.com |
Many
American families are tapping into the global gold mine that
is the Internet. Never before have we had access to such unlimited
information, services and entertainment without ever leaving
our homes.