Internet Safety

‹ Age 8 - 10 • Age 13 - 15 ›

Online Safety Tips for Parents of Children Age 10 - 12:

• Raise the bar on parental controls and filtering programs.
• Start using full-sized search engines with filters applied (check their advanced settings) or use a toolbar (Google's comes preset with a medium filter).
• Cyberbullying is a serious problem at this age, watch for the signs.
• Teach them about personal information and predators. Without going into details, they are concerned about people showing up at their house. Make sure they remember this when online or on text messaging devices.
• Watch for "away messages" for their IM programs. Kids often post their cell phone numbers there.
• Web sites they build should be reviewed carefully, as should screen names.
• Make sure that you control the family account password and have their passwords too.
• Give them privacy as long as it is with people you trust.
• Block all but pre-approved senders.
• Make sure they can't share pictures online, or set up profiles or blogs or webcams without your okay.
• Interactive games should still be limited to Toontown.com and other kid-approved sites.
• Watch early media piracy, teach them not to steal online or offline.
• Google their name, screen names, address, and telephone numbers at least once a week. Many kids post nasty things about others at this age.
• Change their passwords often and make sure that they aren't using a provocative screen name.
• Search regularly on your computer for images (porn or of your kids), and any music, movie or media files you don't know about.
• Spyware is a serious problem at this age, since they often don't use game sites safety.
• Lock your private files with a password they don't know.
• Get them started in online safety education. Consider setting up a Tweenangels chapter, or starting an online safety club at their school.
• Watch cell phone gaming, porn and spending capabilities, and think about limiting their cell phone usage in a way that shuts it down when they exceed it, instead of just charging you extra.

Safety Tips for Parents of Children Under 8 • Age 8 - 10 • Age 10 - 12 • Age 13 - 15 • 16 and Over