How Can I Protect My Child From Strangers Online?
My 9-year-old son spends a lot of time on the computer surfing the Internet and instant messaging his friends. But I worry about him getting into trouble with strangers online. What can I do to protect him?
– Brian
Simple surfing and instant messaging with friends are common activities for kids — and generally safe, if you've discussed some rules of use with them. Chatting with strangers, however, may be a different story. Although there's no way to know the actual risk, the FBI cautions that kids whose Internet activity isn't monitored are most at risk for being exploited.
Take an interest in the sites your son is visiting and the people with whom he is chatting (some shady characters pose as kids or teens in chat rooms to seem less threatening). Warn him never to give out his personal information (his phone number, name, address, school name, etc.), agree to meet in-person anyone he meets in a chat room, or share any photographs.
Urge your son to introduce you to any new "friends" he meets online and to tell you if he ever feels uncomfortable about conversations that take place. Most important, talk to him about the dangers of interacting with strangers online and remind him that people online often don't tell the truth.
Finally, blocking and filtering software is available if you want to make the investment.
For more information, check out these articles:
Internet Safety
Healthy Habits for TV, Video Games, and the Internet
How Can I Ensure My Teen's Safety on the Internet?
Preventing Abductions
Reviewed by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
Date reviewed: February 2007
Originally reviewed by: Neil Izenberg, MD
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Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-2008 The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
© 1995-2008 The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.
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Comments from readers
Monitoring software is not just good software to have; with the dangers of the internet today it is software you need to have if you have children using the computer. It’s funny that very few people will risk their computer by going on the internet without an anti virus program; but many waver on whether to protect their children by monitoring their actions on the internet. How can protecting your child be less important than protecting your computer?
My wife and I installed a program called Spector Pro on our daughter’s computer and it has allowed us to monitor her internet activity discreetly and easily.
I had heard of keyloggers before but I had no idea software like this could include so many features. The Spector Pro program records all the keystrokes, chats, emails and it even takes snap shots of the screen that I can play back like a VCR. It allows me to see everything that has been on the computer screen.
We originally purchased the program because we were concerned about her use of MySpace and Facebook. One of the main reasons we chose Spector Pro was because it has separate recording features for these sites. I can see all the MySpace and Facebook information separately; including login information, profiles she is viewing and who is viewing her; it even lets me when she posts to her blog or posts pictures.
This program has been a real life saver. It not only allowed us to correct some issues we were concerned with; but it now gives us the piece of mind that comes from knowing EXACTLY what she is doing online.
I can’t recommend it highly enough; in fact my wife is a school teacher and recommends this program to many of her students’ parents. Just Google Spector Pro and check out their web site. You will see what I mean.