Safe Passage:
Internet Tips for Parents

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Like most parents, you probably have rules for how your children should approach strangers, both for their safety and your peace of mind. Chances are your children have learned to be wary of strangers they meet on the street. Strangers they meet online when using the Internet should elicit an equal degree of caution.

As in life, most of the people your kids will encounter online are decent and harmless. But anytime you expose your children to the unknown, the potential for danger is present. Online strangers could be unfriendly or even criminal.

To make your children's Internet explorations safe and enjoyable, the following tips for online etiquette are suggested in the "Parent's Guide to the Internet," a resource guide from the United States Department of Education. Before your kids log on, make sure they know that they should:

• Never give out personal information, including their name, address, phone number, age, race, family income, school name and location, or friend's names.
• Never use a credit card to purchase online merchandise without your permission and supervision.
• Never share your family's passwords with anyone, even friends.
• Never arrange a meeting with someone they meet online without your permission. If you do allow a meeting, always accompany them and schedule the meeting in a safe, public place.
• Never respond to a message that makes them uncomfortable or confused. They should end the communication and tell you or another trusted adult about it immediately.

Remember that online communication, even between friends, is not necessarily private. When using e-mail, it is a good idea to use a made-up or altered name to make it difficult for strangers to contact you at home by phone or in person. Children should also understand that people they may meet online are not always who they claim to be. Tell your kids to approach everyone with a healthy degree of suspicion. Finally, like spoken words, once an Internet message is sent, you can't take it back. Teach your children not to send messages they may later regret.

If you are hesitant about turning your children loose on the Information Superhighway, Web sites designed specifically for children are usually a good place to start. The following "megasites," or extensive links to other Web sites, have been deemed "family friendly" by the guide. They all open doors to other interesting sites your family can explore:

• The American Library Association's 700+ Great Sites: Amazing, Spectacular, Mysterious, Colorful Web Sites for Kids and the Adults Who Care About Them
  (http://www.ala.org/parentspage/greatsites/amazing.html)
• Jean Armour Polly's 100 Great Sites in 10 Categories
  (http://www.netmom.com/ikyp/samples/hotlist.shtml)
• Stephen Savitzky's site, Interesting Places for Kids
  (http://places.to/Browse/forKids/)

Addresses were current at press time but can change at any time. If an address does not work, use the Search feature on your Web browser to enter the site name and get an updated link. More information about the "Parent's Guide to the Internet" is available at http://www.ed.gov/pubs/parents/internet/ or by calling 1-800-USA-Learn.

This column by Samantha Morrisey is provided as a public service by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, a nonprofit institution working with schools and communities in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.