Social Networking Sites: A Parent’s Guide

Information used with the permission of the FTC

“It’s 10:00p.m. Do you know where your children are?”

Remember that phrase from your own childhood? It is still a valid question, but now it comes with a twist: “Do you know where your kids are – and who they are talking to online?”

Social networking sites are the hippest “meet market” around, especially among tweens, teens, and 20 somethings. These sites encourage and allow people to exchange information about themselves, and use blogs, chat rooms, email, or instant messaging to communicate with the world at large. But while they can increase a person’s circle of friends, they also can increase exposure to people who have less-than-friendly intentions, including sexual predators.

Help Your Kids Socialize Safely Online

The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, urges parents to talk to their tweens and teens about social networking sites and offers these tips for using these sites safely:

In some circumstances, the Children’s On-Line Privacy Protection Act and Rule require social networking sites to get parental consent before they collect, maintain or us personal information from children under age 13.

Keep your computer in an open area, like the kitchen or family room, so you can keep an eye on where your kids are online and what they are doing.

Use the Internet with your kids. Be open to learning about the technology so you can keep up with them.

Talk to your kids about their online habits. If they use social networking sites, tell them why it is important to keep information like their name, Social Security number, address phone number and family financial information – like bank account numbers - to themselves. Remind them that they should not share that information about other people in the family or about their friends either.

Your children should be cautious about sharing other information like the name of their school, sports teams, clubs, where they work or hang out or any other information that could be used to identify them or locate them offline.

Make sure your kids’ screen names don’t say too much about them. Explain why it is inappropriate – even dangerous - to use their full name, age, or hometown, Even if your kids think their screen name makes them anonymous, it does not take a genius to combine clues to figure out who your kids are and where they can be found.

Use privacy settings to restrict who can access and post on your child’s website. You may approve of their friends from school, clubs, teams, community groups, or your family being able to view your kids’ website, but not strangers from a neighboring town or school.

Your kids should post only information they - you – and they – are comfortable with others seeing – and knowing. Many people can see their page, including their teachers, the police, a college admissions officer, or potential employer.

Remind your kids that once they post information online, they cannot take it back. Even if they delete the information from a site, older versions exist on other people’s computers.

Warn your kids about the dangers of flirting with strangers online. Because some people lie online about who they really are, no one ever really knows who they are dealing with.

Tell your children to trust their gut if they have suspicions. If they feel threatened by someone or uncomfortable because of something online, they need to tell you and then report it to the police and your Internet service provider. You could end up preventing someone else from becoming a victim.

If you are concerned that your child is engaging in risky online behavior, you can search the blog sites they visit to see what information they are posting. Try searching by their name, nickname, school, hobbies, grade, or area where you live.

Check site privacy policies. Some sites may share information like your child’s email address with other companies which could generate spam and even spyware on the family computer. Sites’ privacy policies or other posted links for parents also may contain contact information for you to ask about your child’s personal information.

Wired Safety.org - www.wiredsafety.org – is an internet safety and help group comprised of unpaid volunteers around the world. WiredSafety.org provides education, assistance, and awareness on all aspects of cybercrime and abuse, privacy, security and responsible technology use. It is also the parent group of Teenangels.org, FBI-trained teens and preteens who promote Internet safety.

10 Tips for Safe Web Shopping

Each year more and more people shop on the web. Here are 10 rules for safe web shopping.

Shop only at Internet merchants you know and trust. If in doubt, check with the Better Business Bureau (http://www.us.bbb.org.)
Never share your Internet passwords with anyone. Use different passwords for different Web sites.
Do not provide your Social Security number, birth date or mother's maiden name in an e-mail or within a Web stie. When an e-mail asks for this kind of information, this is a sure sign that the sender is up to no good.
Install the latest antivirus software, anti-spyware and firewalls on your computer before shopping online. And keep them up-to-date with the latest patches. Buy these from a reputable software security vendor, not from an unknown security company; otherwise you may get infected with the malware you're trying to prevent! Visit www.OnGuardOnline.gov or www.staysafeonline.info to learn more about security software, firewalls and other ways to secure your computer. To sign up for free cyber alerts and tips from the Department of Homeland Security visit www.uscert.gov .
Practice safe behavior when it comes to your e-mail. If it looks wierd, or comes from an unknown person, don't open it. Even opening what you think is an e-mail from a friend or relative could unleash a virus or Trojan onto your PC.
Make sure the company is on a secure server by noting whether the web address starts with "https." Check for a padlock icon at the bottom of the browser. Click on the icon and you should see the site address. This address should match the Web site address at the top of the page. If they don't match, you may be at a fraudulent Web site.
Periodically check your credit card and bank account transactions online or by phone. Don't wait for the bill to come in the mail. A little bit of monitoring can stop unapproved use of your cards or criminals dipping into your bank accounts. It's also a wise thing to check your credit reports on a regular basis for incorrect information that may be a sign of identity thieves at work.
Keep printouts of the Web page describing the item you ordered and the price you're paying, any e-mail messages, and the page that shows the seller's name, address and telphone number.
Never buy anything, no matter how good the advertised price is, from an unsolicited e-mail (spam). When tempted to buy that replica watch because it's exactly what you want, just imagine that same item being sold from a cardboard box out of a car trunk by an unsavory looking individual. Also remember, buying from a spammer could cost much more than the price of that cool replica watch - giving your credit card informaiton to unknown entities over the Web may place your identity in jeopardy.
Finally, turn off the PC when you're done shipping. With the proliferation of broadband Internet access, many users now leave their computers on 'round the clock. This opens up the door for criminals who, once they've infected your PC, will turn it into thier "robot:" and commit cyber crime.