If you have kids who will be spending more time online during spring break, now is a good time to educate yourself and your kids about staying safe online. Although the internet can be a great resource for research and communicating with friends, it can also put your kids at risk for falling victim to harassment and online scams. Before you let your kids go online,
• Spend some time talking about these dangers and what your child should do if they encounter a problem.
• Stress the importance of keeping personal information private, such as their name, address, phone number and other information that could put them or others at risk for threats or scams.
• Talk to your kids about what content is appropriate for posting or saying online, reminding them that this content could be harmful
and used in ways that they may not have intended .
• Keep the computer in an open area where you can easily monitor their activity, and check your computer frequently to find out what sites they are visiting.
For more information about how to keep your kids safe online, visit websites like Netsmartz Kids.org (http://www.netsmartzkids.org) or Onguard Online.gov (http://www.onguardonline.gov/tutorials/childsafety/cs_wind.html)