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Kids on the Internet

Trusting, curious and eager to explore, children and teenagers need adult supervision and common sense advice to keep them safe online. This website will highlight a common sense approach to keeping children from becoming victims of crime while online. Also included is an extensive list of links that provide more information on the topic of child safety online.

Child Safety on the Information Highway

Listed below are web sites that will help parents and guardians protect their children:

·         http://www.getnetwise.org/

·         http://www.safekids.com/

·         http://www.safesurf.com/

·         http://www.netnanny.com/index.html

·         http://www.protectkids.org/

·         http://www.childnet-int.org/

·         http://www.mcgruff-safe-kids.com/

·         http://www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee.htm

·         http://www.microsoft.com/info/safeonlinedefault.htm

·         http://www.kidshield.com/

·         http://www.pedowatch.org/pedowatch/

Guide for Parents

Exposure to Inappropriate Material.
Children may be exposed to sexually explicit and/or violent material while surfing the World Wide Web. Sometimes links that seem harmless are actually ways to lure people into pornographic sites.

Pedophiles/Physical Molestation
Pedophiles, who sometimes pose as caring individuals, gain the trust of children and use that to arrange face-to-face meetings or to engage in inappropriate discussions.

Harassment
Another Risk is that a child might encounter e-mail or bulletin board messages that are harassing, demeaning, or belligerent.

Fraud
Fraudulent activity does occur online. Children and teenagers are easily enticed into sending money for some promised benefit or product. This can lead to financial loss as well as credit problems

Warning Signs

Just as parents can see the warning signs of drug abuse, illicit or deviant computer use has warning signs as well. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing; be aware of how much time your children spend online and what they are doing. Be observant and watch for the following signs:

• Excessive late night use of the computer

• Secretive behavior about the computer or online associates

• Password protected BIOS, files, or logical drives

• Hidden files or directories

Guidelines for Parents

Keeping children safe while online means that parents or guardians must take a more active role in monitoring a child's time on the Internet. Below are some suggestions on ways to keep a child's experience online safe and enjoyable.

Go Online Together
Take the time to see what your kids are doing online and what their interests are. Become familiar with the computer and how it works.

Put Computer Out in the Open
Place your computer in the family room or another open area of your home. This allows closer supervision and may prevent children from visiting questionable sites.

No Personal Information
Teach kids never to give out their personal information to people they meet online especially in public places like chat rooms and bulletin boards.

No Meetings
Instruct your child never to plan a face-to-face meeting alone with online acquaintances.

Ground Rules
Establish clear ground rules for Internet use for your kids. Decide whether or not to use parental control tools or protective software.

The Role of the Montgomery County Police

The mission of the Montgomery County Police Computer Crime Unit is to respond to community needs regarding the illicit use of computer systems, instruct members of the police department in specialized knowledge and skills involving computer technology, enforce applicable laws regarding deviant use of computer systems and to educate community members about the pitfalls in using computer technology and online services.

If you become aware of an illegal activity such as the transmission of child pornography or if you suspect any other crime, such as fraud, please report it immediately to the police.