Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Safe internet use?

As my DS6 becomes more interested in researching online, I'm wondering how other parents deal with this. He's pretty independent with typing, etc., but I worry about what might pop. Do you use filters? Any programs? Thanks!

We started with the firefox addon "Kidzui". But we dropped it once the older two were both getting frustrated that it didn't allow access to educational websites for older kids because they were not on the "acceptable" list. I am sure that it would have been updated somewhat by now, and may be worth your checking it out.

We don't use anything on their laptops now, and they have been instructed to close browser windows immediately or call us if anything funny pops up at all, including anything that looks nothing like their intended search or anything that makes them go "huh???".

It seems to be working. They also each have a small A6 notebook next to their laptops so that they can come ask us to confirm spelling when they are searching. It helps to eliminate some dodgy search results.

The obvious is also to set your browser security settings to their strongest, keep all PC's in rooms where everyone can see them and explain the rules about chatting online. My kids are not allowed to install new games without one of us checking them out first, and if there is live chat we disable it unless it's something like LAN games or co-operative games with people they know.

Aiden is starting to ask why and we have had long chats about what is safe or not safe to divulge online to anyone: eg. no sharing of full name, address, telephone numbers, age, info on his brothers, no sharing of pictures via internet programs or sites (only e-mails - which is fine cause I am copied on any and all mails he sends and receives).

Ummm I can;t think of anything else off the top of my head.

We have Microsoft Family Safety turned on on the computer DS uses, which is really just because it was as easy to do as not on the new computer, but mostly rely on DS's sense, as Madoosa says. Combine with making sure he understands I'm his sysadmin and you don't keep secrets from the sysadmins :-) It's not actually that easy to find inappropriate things by accident, unless you have very strict ideas of what's inappropriate.

I have been considering Net Nanny. I disagree about the ease of finding inappropriate content. A misspelled website name can bring you to something that is supposed to be 18+.

I know our school had some issues with that type of thing and they changed their filter.

As a parent of a teenager I am fairly lax and don't supervise too carefully. He does have "safe search" on, but otherwise no other filters. My son is only allowed to use his computer is a public room in the house. We have talks about what is appropriate online behavior. Some of this is trust. And yes he has his own computer, and taking it away is our main punishment.

I am mostly worried about online chatting. And that the male centric computer game sites he frequents are populated by anti-social young male adults who model inappropriate ways to talk with and about women.

When he was younger (6 & 7) most of his computer time was spend on games on CD and not online on a computer. When he did go online for research I would supervise. Times have changed and all the games and fun stuff are now online.

Thank you all. Our computer is in an easy-to-view place and, to this point, I've been right there with him. He uses educational programs, blogs on kidblog, and more recently likes to dive down research rabbit holes. The latter is my concern as I do feel it's easy to have something inappropriate pop up just with misspelling.

AWESOME resource!! thanks for the link

sorry to answer your concern as well - this is why my boys have a notepad so that they can ask us spelling. I will often take the books randomly and write some key phrases down that have recently popped up in conversations and shows they see etc.

That's a great idea, Madoosa. I think I'm going to steal it

Kidblog is fantastic. My son is obsessed.

happy to share - happy to steal your idea too (kidblog)

lol