Q: My kids are always on the Internet; does BBB have safety tips and guidelines to teach kids what to look for and avoid on the Internet?
A: For most parents, knowing where your kids are can be a full-time job. Knowing where they are online, which websites they’re visiting and who they’re talking to, is even harder. But, clearly it is no less important. The Better Business Bureau children’s advertising review unit encourages parents to teach their kids and tweens about unsafe online situations and recommends looking out for seven stop signs.
According to a study by the Neilsen Norman Group, kids as young as 9 are becoming just as capable, if not more so, than their parents at navigating the Internet. While young kids may be computer whizzes, they are not necessarily as smart as their parents when it comes to identifying threats, including predators and fraud.
“The best way to keep your kids safe online is to keep the lines of communication open,” said Wayne Keeley, director of the BBB unit. “Talk to them about the possible dangers and let them know that they can always come to you if they feel confused, threatened or bullied online.”
BBB advises to sit down with your children and let them know that they should stop and talk to you whenever they find themselves in these seven situations online:
1 You visit a website which asks for financial information like bank, credit or debit card numbers. Let your kids know that it is never acceptable to give out your bank, credit or debit card numbers to anyone.
2 You visit a website that asks for personal information like your home address, first and last name, e-mail address, phone or Social Security number. Your children may not realize that information such as their full name, address, phone number or even their e-mail address or Social Security Number can be very valuable to companies that want to market products to them and also to identity thieves or predators online.
3 A person you do not know sends you inappropriate pictures or inappropriate language, or wants to actually meet up. Talk about what would constitute as inappropriate photos and conversations online, as well as the immense dangers of meeting up or talking to strangers.
4 You want to post a picture of yourself online. Posting pictures online can seem harmless, but can often provide important clues to predators. Approve any photos before your kid posts them online until you feel they are old enough to make the right call.
5 You are being harassed or bullied through a social networking site, e-mails or instant messages. Online bullying is not just a harmless prank, and your kids need to know that it is important they tell you before it goes too far.
6 You get a friend request on a social networking site from someone you do not know. Friending someone online that you do not know in real life is opening the door to possible threats such as hackers and predators.
7 You want to sign up for a “free” service online or get “free” ringtones or daily joke text messages. “Free” rarely comes without a price online and supposedly, free services can result in repeated charges to your credit card or phone bill.
Parents can report websites that request personal information from children under 13 at www.CARU.org.
Get answers to your questions each Friday from Jim Winsett, president and CEO of the area Better Business Bureau Inc. Submit questions by writing to Business Editor John Vass Jr., Chattanooga Times Free Press, P.O. Box 1447, Chattanooga, TN 37401-1447, or by e-mailing him at jvass@timesfreepress.com