On-Line Safety for Children

  In a world with all kinds of threats it’s most important that we protect our children.  In the process of protecting them we also need to protect them while they’re on-line.  This protection should start from an early age but it’s never too late to begin.  I will be giving some tips and ideas to use that will help you to be a protective parent and still have their respect.

  As I said before start early, sit with them while they’re on the computer and show them the sites you would like them to go on.  There are many sites that are geared to children.  Such as:

• www.teletoon.com
• http://pbskids.org/
• http://treehousetv.com
• www.clubpenguin.com
• There are also many homework help sites

To make it easier for your child to find these sites don’t forget to bookmark them or better still add an icon to your desktop.

*** NOTE ***  The number one safety rule for your children should be NEVER give their real name, address or password.  Also NEVER give out personal information while on the internet.

   To make it easier for you to keep an eye on them while they’re on the internet, make sure your computer is located in a spot where your family tends to congregate like the family room.

Monitor any emails they get and monitor their chats if they go on MSN Live Messenger or any other chat program.  Be on the look out for Cyberbullying.  Most people play nice online, but some use the Internet to harass, belittle, or try to intimidate others. Attacks may range from name calling to physical threats and are rarely seen by parents.  If someone threatens or continually harasses your kids, or attempts to lure them into

face-to-face meetings for illicit purposes, report the problem to the police.

Read what they write in their blogs and their profiles on social networking sites.  Teach your kids to trust their instincts and to tell you immediately if they ever feel threatened or scared by something that happens online.

Last but not least always make sure you antivirus programs are up-to-date and you have a firewall on your computer.

Other Useful Resources:

www.netsmartz.org

www.microsoft.com/protect

www.isafe.org

www.xbox.com/familysettings

www.kids.getnetwise.org/tools

On Line Privacy. How To Protect Yourself.

This article was written for a colleague of mine.  His name is Brian Bien and his website is www.BienTek.com
Hope you enjoy it.

Net users often take for granted that they have privacy whenever they go online. What many don't realize is that the internet is a double-edged sword: it can gives us all the information we can possibly ask for, but it can be used to take information from us as well.

Even something as innocuous as using a search engine or visiting a website actually leaves traces, information that clue in marketers to our habits and interests, which they can use to further their own goals. If, for example, you do a search on the latest cars, someone can pick up the cookie left behind by your search. The next time you visit your favorite site or check your inbox, you just might see an ad for cars, tailor fit just for you.

You have the right to online privacy and you CAN protect it. Here are a few ways to do just that:

1.Don't make it easy to identify yourself—be very wary of giving out personal information online. One thing to avoid is doing a search of your own name. Because search engines keep their search logs for a period of time, your name can be linked to your IP address, personally identifying you as the one doing the search.

2.Manage your cookies—some websites leave bits of information about you through internet cookies stored on your computer. This information can be potentially be sold to marketers, who may then create a profile about you and your online habits. To mitigate this, you can set your browser's options to delete your cookies whenever you end a session.

3.Mask your IP address—In internet terms, your IP address is like a regular address. It's possible for someone to trace whatever you do online to that address. There are a few ways to hide your address. Firstly, you can use a dynamic address as opposed to a static one. If you can't get a dynamic address from your ISP or server, you can opt to mask it instead. To do this you can use a free program like Tor or a proxy website like Anonymizer, which acts as a buffer between you and the sites you visit.

4.Don't use a search engine where you keep an open account—if, for example, you are logged in to your Gmail account and you do a search with Google, the search engine can connect all your searches to your account. To protect the privacy of your searches, use a different search engine like Bing or Yahoo!.

5.Consider Ixquick as your search engine—most search engines retain their search logs for a period of time. Google for example, maintains their logs for 6 months, while Yahoo keeps theirs for 90 days. Doesn't sound like a problem? Well, in 2004, the U.S. government subpoenaed the search logs of all of the country's major search engines, and everyone but Google complied. Of course, nobody wants anyone looking through their private searches for whatever reason. Ixquick, a Dutch-based search engine, solves this problem by deleting their search logs within 48 hours. It also does not record your IP address. If you're interested in giving your searches a measure of privacy, Ixquick provides an easy solution.

How Safe Is Your Computer?

  Why is it we take precautions to protect our PIN number at the ATM machine but neglect our computers? Did you know that it takes approximately 20 minutes to infect an unprotected computer.  I would strongly suggest that everyone take a look at their anti-virus program and make sure that its doing its job.  Make sure its up to date and also make sure to update Microsoft Windows while you're at it.  With a few simple steps you can have a safe computer and an even safer internet experience.  With that being said we must also keep in mind that any anti-virus software on your computer will not be able to protect you 100% of the time.  Updating your software will help to prevent viruses.

Follow these steps to help protect yourself and your computer while on the internet:

1. Install anti-virus software:  One of the biggest mistakes people make is to assume that once the anti-virus software is installed they are protected.  An outdated anti-virus program is no protection at all, make sure it is updated regularly. The program has to be updated so that it can recognize new viruses. For a good free anti-virus program try Microsoft Security Essentials for XP and Vista/Win7
2. Install a Firewall: A firewall acts as a barrier between your home computer and the internet.  It can help to screen out unauthorized access to your system. For home pc users, a firewall can be a software program commonly found in Internet Security packages. It can also be a hardware device such as a router that plugs in between your modem and your computer. 
3. Keeping Your Operating System Up To Date:  Download security updates and patches regularly.  The popularity of Windows has made it far too easy to attack. Regular updates is a must and most systems can be scheduled to update on its own.
4. Spyware Scanners: Spyware is a general term used for software that is downloaded, in most cases without your knowledge, and it seeks out information about you or your computer.  Some spyware will change your home page or create pop-up ads.  Other types of spyware are a little more vicious and can create a great deal of problems.  To counter act spyware and anti-spyware program should be installed.  I use SuperAntiSpyware  and Malwarebytes
5. Secure Wireless Networks:  Always make sure wireless networks are secure by placing a password on the network.  Any computer that wants to access your network will require that password.  If your wireless network is not protected then anyone can gain access to your network and do whatever they want including downloading inappropriate material.

 In upcoming articles I will discuss Safe Practices and How To Protect Your Children On The Internet.  I hope you have found this information useful.