The Internet has so much to offer, both for children and adults, that is safe and fun. Unfortunately there is also a lot on the Internet that is not safe, including child predators.
Parents, did you know?
- 1 in 5 children (ages 10 to 17) receives a sexual solicitation or approach via the Internet in a one-year period.
- 1 in 33 children receives an aggressive online request resulting in face-to-face meetings, phone calls, money, sent mail or gifts.
There are things we, as parents, can do to help our children have a fun time online while staying safe. If they want to have fun playing games, listen to music and chat with friends on the Internet, these are some safety tips to set in place for them to follow:
- Always ask your parents or the person who is taking care of you before getting on the internet.
- Never tell strangers real things about you, like your name, your address or where you go to school.
- Be careful about who you talk to online. Sometimes people do not always tell the truth about themselves online.
- Don’t send pictures of yourself, your family or your friends to people you do not know online.