Recent news such as the Megan Meier cyber bullying case, a Washington kidnapping and numerous child porn arrests have highlighted the need for increased Internet safety for children. But the best protection starts at home, with parents or guardians. Here are ways to keep your child safe online:

• Monitor Your Children’s Internet Usage - The best way is to keep children safe is to keep an eye on them when they’re online. Put the computer in a common area, such as a kitchen or living room, and only allow them to go online in your presence. Know who they’re speaking to online. Loosen the reigns as you see fit.
• Install Parental Control Software - There are many blocking and filtering software out there that will block unsafe sites, including porn and other adult-oriented websites; some even give you access to the sites your children are viewing or what they’re even typing. Net Nanny is one of the best-known, and PC Mag has a feature on the best parental control and monitoring software.
• Set Limits - Make sure to set boundaries with your children, such as whether they’re allowed to use social networking sites like MySpace or Facebook, and what times they’re allowed to be on. And do let them know that privileges can be taken away if limits are not followed.
• Make Sure They Don’t Divulge Personal Information - Make sure your children know not to give their names, address, phone numbers or other personally identifying information to strangers on the Web, or even post it in their instant messaging and social networking profiles.
• Create Safe Screen Names - Keep names, birth years, and other personally identifying information out of screen names. Something like TeddyBear123 is safe, others like KatieCutie1998 are not as safe.
• Know Their Usernames And Passwords - Ask for the usernames and passwords to all their online accounts, including instant messaging, social networking, e-mail and even games sites like Neopets or Webkinz.
• Block Others’ Access To Their Instant Messaging, E-Mail And Social Networking Accounts - Most instant messaging programs, e-mail accounts and social networking accounts have ways to block people who don’t know your children from contacting them. Usually, you set up an approved list of contacts, and your child can only contact and exchange messages with these approved people.
• Connect To Their Social Networking Accounts - Make your own profile at social networking sites your children visit, and connect to them so you can monitor what they’re saying and who they’re friends with.
• Encourage Them To Report Unwanted Behavior - If they’re being harassed, receive threatening or explicit messages, or generally feel unsafe online, encourage them to tell you so you can report it to proper authorities, whether it be the police, another parent or reporting it to a website’s administrator.

• Top Ten Tips - Avoiding Phishing Schemes (1)
• Top Ten Tips - Separating Work And Personal Life (0)
• Top Ten Tips - Keeping Bored Children Amused (2)
• Top Ten Tips - Handling Blackouts And Power Outages (1)
• Top Ten Tips - Celebrating Your Heritage (3)