Tips and Policies for Safe Internet Use
Rules for Internet safety are can vary between children and adults. Adults are usually more prepared to handle themselves in situations with strangers than children, and would also have more reason to give out information such as work location or cell-phone numbers in order to conduct business. The following are some general guidelines and tips for safe internet and e-mail use:
Most school systems have Internet safety policies in place for employees. These usually contain topics such as:
Linked here is a sample policy from the East Clinton School District in Ohio, adopted in 2001.
- Only give out e-mail addresses and social media account names to people you know and trust.
- Do not give out personal information - such as address, phone number, etc. - online.
- If you do not recognize the sender, do not open the message.
- Do not meet up with people you've met online without an adult (if you're a child or teenager), or even a friend (for those who are adults themselves)
- Tell others - whether an adult or friend - about anything you see or receive that makes you uncomfortable.
- Create strong passwords and do not share them with others. Also avoid using the same password for multiple accounts.
- Be cautious of what you download and which sites you download from. Hackers often use downloadable material as a way to distribute viruses to computers.
Most school systems have Internet safety policies in place for employees. These usually contain topics such as:
- Teachers will supervise students using technology
- Students and teachers will adhere to website filters that are in place due to material that could be harmful to minors
- Detailed procedures for reporting websites that need to be blocked
- Software and downloadable material must be approved by the school system before being downloaded onto school propert
Linked here is a sample policy from the East Clinton School District in Ohio, adopted in 2001.
Explore this Internet Safety for Kids Tutorial for parents and children.
Brain Pop Jr. offers a video for kids on Internet safety, as well as follow-up activities and quizzes.
Kaspersky Lab's Top 10 Internet Safety Rules (and What Not to do Online)
Sources used: (East Clinton Local School District, 2001) (Shryock, 2006) (Ben-Joseph, 2018) (New York Public Library)