Online Safety & Etiquette

The Internet can be wonderful resource for students, they can use it to research school reports, communicate with teachers and other children, and play interactive games. But online access comes with risks, like inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and online predators.

Parents should be aware of what their children see and hear on the Internet, who they meet, and what they share about themselves. Talk with your child, use tools to protect them, and keep an eye on their activities. Make sure your child understands the importance of being safe online, protecting private information, standing up to cyberbullying, showing respect for self and others. Keep an open line of communication and make sure that they feel comfortable turning to you when they have problems online.

Online Protection Tools

Online tools let you control your childs' access to adult material and help protect them from Internet predators. Many Internet service providers provide parent-control options, and other programs can monitor and track online activity.

Contact law enforcement if your child has received child pornography via the Internet or if you are aware of child pornography online.

Getting Involved

More important than blocking objectionable material is teaching your child safe and responsible online behavior, and keeping an eye on their Internet use. Parents are encouraged to review online safety and etiquette tips, to help students become responsible, literate, safe, ethical and respectful when working online.

Basic guidelines for parental supervision:

Spend time online together to teach your child appropriate online behavior.
Keep the computer in a common area where you can watch and monitor its use. Monitor any time spent on smartphones or tablets.
Bookmark safe sites for your child to access.
Take your child seriously if he or she reports an uncomfortable online exchange.
Guide you children to safe sites to use for desired online activities and research

Watch for warning signs of a child being targeted by an online predator. These can include:

spending long hours online, especially at night
phone calls from people you don't know
unsolicited gifts arriving in the mail
your child suddenly turning off the computer when you walk into the room
withdrawal from family life and reluctance to discuss online activities

Basic guidelines to share with your child for safe online use:

Never post or trade personal pictures.
Never reveal personal information, such as name, address, phone number, or school name or location.
Use only a screen name and don't share passwords (other than with parents).
Never agree to get together in person with anyone met online without parent approval and/or supervision.
Never respond to a threatening email, message, post, or text.
Always tell a parent or other trusted adult about any communication or conversation that was scary or hurtful.
Don't be mean or embarrass other people online.
Limit what you share online, and remember that anything put online is there forever. If you wouldn't want your entire class to know or see something, you shouldn't share it with anyone online, not even your best friends.
Check with an adult before opening e-mails from strangers.