Before you actually sit down to negotiate and discuss your family's strategy for Internet safety, it's a good idea to arm yourself with the information and experience you need in order to speak intelligently about the online world. Getting InformedAs with every other aspect of life, having solid information on which to base choices is critical, but you don't have to be a "techspert" to take some basic online precautions. The chapters in Part Two of this book outline the most common areas of concern for individuals and families to think about. They describe potential risks and ways to mitigate these. Part Four includes a section on safety technology tools at your disposal. Prepare with a personal knowledge of the technology products you own and services you subscribe to, combined with a clear sense of your family's personal safety needs and wants. Consider your sense of what is appropriate for your children, given your familiarity with their personalities, maturity levels, and ages. Include the awareness you've gained in reading the earlier chapters of this book, and you will have a solid foundation for a family discussion. Experience the Internet TogetherBeyond becoming informed, it's important that you experience the Internet with your family. Consider trying for yourself any online products that your children want to use, on any Internet-connected devices you have, so you have a deeper understanding of how they work. For example: Learn to play games on Xbox and use the online interactive services; send text messages and try mobile chatting; set up a blog and play with the settings and options; try posting photos and text; and so on. Make your blog private and share it with only a couple of friends or your spouse, or make it public. Just think about what you are sharing and whom you should be sharing it with. Check out the blogs of others. You'll find out how useful and fun these services can be and see firsthand the ways in which people are exposing personal information. See how much information you can spot without using any technical aids, just from the content they've placed about themselves, the comments left on their blog, and what their friends are saying. You'll see how quickly this information can be stitched together, and your instincts for protecting yourself online will become fine-tuned. Think About It If using the Internet or mobile devices intimidates you, have your child teach you how to use the products and let them be the expert. |