How to Keep Your Child Safe on the Internet

Install the latest firewall and antivirus software on your computer. This protects your computer from hackers who might try to steal personal information. While nothing is full-proof, it helps.

Get to know the parents of your kids' friends. While everyone is busy these days, a conversation with another parent may enlighten you about some of the things your kids do while they are away from home or on the internet.

Talk to your kids about internet safety. Explain to them what an online predator is. Let them watch an episode of Dateline's sting operations. Most important, tell them anyone can hide behind a computer name--and that person could be dangerous. They should never give out any personal information to someone on the internet including: names, addresses, credit card information, bank account information, city and state where they live, names of schools, their age, phone numbers, or website locations. They should also never list this information on their personal posting page or website.

If you feel your kids might be involved in anything risky, you might consider moving the computer to a public area of your house. If this is not an option you want to consider, then you might want to install a monitoring software that will give screen shots of sites your child visits. This may seem like an invasion of privacy, but if it keeps your kids safe, it is worth it.