Start
With the Basics - Protect Your PC
Physical Harassment
Although not very likely, there is a slight risk that, while
online, a child might provide information or arrange an
encounter that could risk his or her safety or the safety of
family members. In a few cases, pedophiles have used e-mail,
bulletin boards and chat areas to gain a child's confidence
and then arrange a face-to-face meeting.
Exposure to Inappropriate
Material
An obvious risk is that a child may be exposed to
inappropriate material: material that is sexual, hateful,
violent in nature, or encourages dangerous or illegal
activities.
Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco and
other Dangers
Some web sites and newsgroups contain information that
advocates the use of drugs, tobacco or alcohol. It's even
possible to find places on the Internet where you can learn to
make bombs or obtain weapons. There are no known cases as yet,
where a child has committed an act of violence or used a
substance as a result of going online. Yet, with a resource as
vast and as uncontrolled as the Internet, you're bound to find
all sorts of information, good and bad.
Objectionable Messages
A child might encounter e-mail, chat or bulletin board
messages that are harassing, demeaning, or abusive. This risk
may not be life threatening, but it could affect a child's
self esteem and is more than likely to occur at one time or
another to any child who engages in chat rooms or exchanges
messages on bulletin boards, so you should be aware that this
happens.
Legal and Financial
There is also the risk that a child could do something that
has negative legal or financial consequences, such as giving
out a parent's credit card details or doing something that
violates another person's rights. Legal issues aside, children
should be taught good manners on the Internet and to behave
online as they would in public and to avoid being rude, mean
or inconsiderate to other users.
Password Security
Children should be cautioned to
never give out their passwords to anyone even if the person
claims to work for an Internet service provider. When in
doubt, tell children to ask permission. You should also know
the provider's policy regarding passwords (most Internet
Service Providers' staff will never ask a member for their
password). There is a risk that an Internet account could be
misused or stolen by obtaining a user's password.
Privacy
Children have a right to privacy. Everything about them: their
name, age, what school they go to, is the personal business of
them and their families. No one, including reputable
companies, have a right to extract this information from
children without first checking with the child's parents.
Contributed by Maria Georgiou.
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