Dear Parent,
Please take a few moments to read the following,
so every time your child surfs the net, she/he has been educated
on the DO’s and DON’Ts of
the web.
You might also want to check our Terms of Use statement
DO keep the computer in a common
area such as
the family or living room, rather than in bedrooms or the study.
DO encourage kids to talk about
what they see on the web,
and to ask questions if it's something they don't understand.
DO teach children that strangers
on the 'net are just the same as strangers you meet in person.
If Mum or Dad doesn't know the person, then they are a stranger
and your child should not e-mail or chat with them without
checking with a adult first.
DO discourage them from meeting
new friends on-line or using
pen-pal matching services. (If your child does start to develop cyber-friendships,
get to know your child's cyber-friends just as you would their school friends
and let them know you keep an eye on your child's e-mail.)
DO line up your child with the child of a trustworthy
friend or colleague who lives interstate or overseas.
DO talk about what is OK and not
OK to do and say on the 'net and set some house rules.
For example, it might be OK to give your first name or
a "handle" (internet nickname) but it is not
OK to give your last name, your phone number or address
or to meet someone you met over the web.
DO help children think up their
own "handle" or internet nickname. Some examples
are "skate champ", "rugrat", "jedi" -
something which is meaningful to them but does not give away
personal details. If you are a teacher, this would make an
excellent class activity.
DO teach children to walk away from
the computer if someone says something yucky or scary. And
if this happens, they should tell a grown-up straight away.
DO encourage your children to use
only reputable "kid's own" directories or portals
such as Yahooligans or Alfy (which uses graphics rather than
words and is therefore particularly good for younger kids).
These directories screen all sites before they can be listed
to ensure they adhere to "kids safe" criteria.
DON’T let young children surf
the 'net alone. Even if you can't sit by them, stay within
earshot and keep an interest in what they are looking at.
DON’T let children use unmoderated
chatrooms. Most girls can't type fast enough to make it fun
anyway. Many of the well known search engines may pull up
pornographic or otherwise unsuitable sites even when the
search term seems completely innocent.
Let’s work together to make the web
experience, a happy experience, for all girls (and boys!)
See you soon!
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