Are our children safe online? Do we know what they are actually doing in front of that computer screen?

Parents fearing for their children’s safety often keep them indoors rather than allow them to play in the street or park unsupervised. However children can be even more vulnerable at home when using the computer and logging on to the Internet.

It’s a terrifying fact of life that paedophiles are still able to contact and groom children online and a government report revealed that one in four children has potentially put him or herself at risk by secretly meeting a stranger contacted online. This is a threefold increase on a similar study carried out two years ago.

Parents need to be more proactive in protecting their children while using the Internet. Not understanding the technology or jargon is no longer an excuse as parents can visit the specially designated page on the Child Exploitation and Online Protection website at www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents.

This police website gives clear and up to date guidance on Internet use and terminology plus gives examples of warning signs that parents should watch out for if they have any suspicions that their child is being targeted or groomed online.

The site has areas for children and young users advising them on how to keep safe and stay in control and still have fun. Any suspicious activity can be reported – by parents or youngsters - at the click of a button.

This is an excellent site and one you should introduce your offspring to. Looking at the various areas together is a good starting point for discussing Internet safety.


Parental controls
Keeping the computer in a family room is an important way of monitoring what is going on but you can’t be looking over a child’s shoulder all the time so it’s wise to install parental control software.

For an overview of what is available go to BroadbandChoices.co.uk - the second biggest broadband comparison service in the UK which doesn’t just focus on price but total package value.

Some ISPs like AOL and BT offer parental controls as part of their service, while other users can get them with their antivirus and security software.

Parental controls allow you to block certain sites and keywords, apply different settings for different age groups and monitor your child’s online activity. You can also use the Messenger Plus! program to keep a log of conversations they might be having using Instant Messenger.

Downloads
What your child is downloading from the Internet – however innocent – may affect your monthly usage allowance. In which case use a Download Monitor - such as the one available at BroadbandChoices.co.uk - to keep an eye on downloads and set alarms to alert you when you near your limit.