PC-Wholesale.com's Guide To Internet Safety

Photo courtesy of Flickr: FutUndBeidl

The Internet is a great place for children to learn, and they are encouraged to start using a computer at school and home at an early age. Now more than ever, kids are also using social media sites as a way to stay connected with their friends and family. There are many advantages for children to use the computer, but there is also much they need to be aware of as well. The Internet is a magnet for predators, bullies, and computer viruses, and both parents and kids need to know how to stay safe while online. This guide to Internet safety gives resources on how to stay safe while surfing the Web, including how to be aware of cyberbullying and what to do about it, how to use social media safely, how to keep computers protected from viruses, and staying safe from adult websites.

General Safety

• Kids Health: Internet Safety: This page gives great information on Internet safety along with ideas for parents to get involved with their kids while they are online.
• Child Safety on the Information Highway: A guide gives information about keeping kids safe while exploring the Internet.
• Family Online Safety Institute Resources: These resources cover different Internet safety subjects, including youth safety online, cyberbullying, and self-harm in the digital age.
• Digital Citizenship: Using Technology Appropriately: This article discusses nine themes that can help computer users safely use the Internet.
• 5 Top Tips to Stay Safe Online: By following these five tips, children will learn to stay safe when they are online.
• Online Safety Guide: A guide to online safety includes safety tips for kids, teens, and families and safety tips by age.
• Online Safety Tips: A website dedicated to keep kids safe online gives a list of tips for kids to follow on the Internet.
• How Cybersmart Are You? A quiz tests kids on how smart they are about using the Internet safely.

Social Media

• Using Social Networks Safely: A guide gives great advice on how kids can use social media. It includes a video as well as advice on how kids can safely set up a profile on popular social media websites.
• Practice Setting Up a Profile: This game from the Federal Trade Commission allows kids and teens to practice setting up a profile safely on social networking sites.
• Tips for Strong, Secure Passwords: This page gives tips on setting up passwords as a best defense against intruders and imposters on social networking sites.
• Social Networking (video): In this video, teens talk about what they do to stay save on social networking sites.
• Ten Safe Social Networking Sites for Kids: NPR looks at safer sites than Facebook or Twitter for social networking.
• Are Social Networking Sites Safe for My Child? Find out the answer to this question from a practicing attorney general.
• Social Networking Safety: This article from the National Crime Prevention Council lists the dangers of social networking along with ways to be safer.
• Tips for Keeping Your Child Safe on Social Networking Sites: Great safety tips are available here, along with ideas to keep children safe on social media sites as well as on their cell phones and email accounts.

Cyberbullying

• Cyberbullying: A tutorial gives simple, easy-to-understand definitions of cyberbullying and examples of what cyberbullying is and how to protect kids from it.
• Common Sense Media on Cyberbullying: This is another great website that defines cyberbullying. Parents and kids can choose their age group to help them best understand the information.
• STOP Cyberbullying: This website is dedicated to informing the public about cyberbullying along with prevention, taking action, and laws regarding cyberbullying.
• Cyberbullying: Stalking & Harassment: This article defines cyberbullying, cyberstalking, and cyber-harassment and what can be done about each.
• Facts About Cyberbullying: An article from the Cyberbullying Research Center gives facts on cyberbullying.
• How to Avoid Cyberbullying: A Web page details the basics about cyberbullying, ways to avoid online bullying, and what can be done about it.
• Stopbullying: This website defines cyberbullying and gives tips on how to prevent it and report it.
• Warning Signs of Cyberbullying: This list of warning signs is for kids who are victims of cyberbullying along with kids who are cyberbullying others.

Viruses

• Protect Your Computer From Malware (video): This video shows what malware is and what can be done to protect a computer from viruses.
• Malware and Botnets: An article talks about protecting computers from viruses, spyware, and botnets.
• Protect Your Computer From Viruses, Hackers, and Spies: This article looks at ways to protect computers from being attacked by viruses and hackers.
• How to Protect Your Computer: An article put together by the Federal Bureau of Investigation looks at how best to protect your computer.
• Classroom Clips (video): Watch this to learn about what a computer virus is.
• PC Security: This page offers tips, tools, and resources on how to keep your PC free from viruses.
• Don't Open That File (video): A video for kids warns them of the dangers of opening certain files that could infect a computer with a virus.
• What is a Computer Virus? This article defines computer viruses, what they do, how they're spread, and how to prevent them.

Adult Sites

• Pornography 101: This Web page discusses the dangers of kids accessing adult sites and provides information on what can happen if children are exposed to pornography.
• How to Block Internet Porn From Your Kids: The Today show offers tips on how to keep kids from seeing adult sites.
• Safe Labeling: This initiative aims to get websites to label themselves as a way to keep children off of adult-oriented sites.
• Protect Your Kids: How to Block Vile Porn Sites: This article gives simple ways to keep children from seeing adult content on high-tech devices.
• Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA): A definition of CIPA tells what it requires of schools and libraries to protect children from seeing inappropriate information on the Internet.
• Parental Controls and Porn: The Four Best Ways to Keep Your Children Safe Online: This article gives parents advice on keeping their children safe from adult sites while they're online.
• Internet Safety: The University of Michigan looks at Internet safety, including ways to protect children from going on adult websites and how to be aware of sexual exploitation on the Internet.

More about Kelly Friedman:

Kelly is an avid tech and computer enthusiast and spends her free time keeping up to date with the latest technology advancements. Kelly also enjoys reading, writing, playing video games, and riding her motorcycle.

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