Today I’m starting a new series on “Internet Safety”. And I’m going to call it Internet Safety Sunday or ISS for short so that it can be utilised as search keyword on Twitter.
The idea being that every Sunday I publish a tip, software review, advertise links, give my opinion, etc… on the subject matter of internet safety. Although not directly related to the most recent lessons in the ProBlogger 31DBBB course, not indeed any of its lessons, I feel a series is something this blog is lacking.
So to start the series off here’s my opening tip:
Establish Guidelines
Be you a parent at home, a business or a Church then you need to have clear and established guidelines.
- Establish a policy for acceptable computer use.
- List what may or may not be allowed including clear rules about time limits.
- Be upfront with your children / employees / volunteers that this policy will be enforced and monitored.
- Try to set a policy that respects their privacy whilst maintaining your rights over the equipment.
Specifically I’d add the following when children are involved:
- Don’t allow internet enabled computers in a child’s bedroom. Keep it in a public area.
- Set time limits.
- Consider their age, maturity level and inclination towards risky behavior when setting any guidelines.
- Discuss beforehand what to do if any issues arise.
What about your guidelines?
Do you have any at all?
Why / why not?
I'd prefer all Internet-enabled devices to be used only in the family area, but I am not super diligent about it. I'm one of those terrible parents who have TVs and PCs in each kids room. We did have a very unfortunate incident last summer with my teenager, but hopefully, we scared straight both the offender and my daughter. There are parental limits set on 'net access and the TVs. My son likes to crack the code, but there remains such a thing as my physically entering his room and removing the power sources.
Great series!
The great comeback I have is that these are of course but guidelines.
Each parent has to determine what is right for them and their children and folks like myself can only 'suggest'. Do I do everything I read or am told – not a chance. Equally so long as we deal with incidents as they arise then ….
My personal approach (because I can and know how) is to lock it all down and discuss the reasons why with my children. My 20yr old certainly hasn't come to any harm because of that.
Cool.
I set up a joint email account for my daughters. I didn't want them using mine any more (too much! :) but I wanted them to get the sense that Internet life can be a community endeavor. So they have a shared account.
For now, anyway, they are okay with it. :)
My recent post 31 Days to Build a Better Blog: Update a Key Page
One of the benefits of being technical is that I look after my own email hosting. This allows me to setup as many or as few accounts as I want.
Each of my children had email accounts within hours of their birth and my wife still thinks I'm a sad bap for it. Anyway, my eldest is now 20 and initially his account was only ever used for signing up to child based forums / sites and school notes – all of these went direct to him but equally everything was duplicated to us. As he grew that "restriction" was removed – but all along we discussed it with him.
This is the same for our 9 and 7yr olds now. In due course they'll want privacy and so long as all being well is there then they'll get it – but the discussion will continue