My Space / Face book

It’s school time again, and each year education techniques change. Our grade school children are learning subjects that used to be taught in junior high. It is now common place for our kids to use the computer and internet to research and complete home work.

As you well know, most children and many adults socialize through the internet. They are using sites like My Space and Face Book to communicate with their friends, and in some cases making friends on these sites.

Anyone who watches the news knows that predators will use whatever they can to find a victim. It is a fact that they search these social sites and put out the bait. Take precautions to avoid being the catch.

• Keep in mind anyone with an e-mail address can open a My Space or Face Book account. They can become anybody they want.

• Members or non-members can access the sites 24/7 to search and find anyone they want, regardless of age.

• Remember, the personal information you post on these sites gives anyone, including predators, insight about you.

Used appropriately and with parent monitoring, My Space and Face Book, as well as other social sites, can be a great virtual community. These sites allow for social outlet as well as an additional place to express ideas and thoughts.

To insure safety consider the following:

• Keep your child’s computer in a common area like the living room or kitchen.

• Do not post photos and personal information (addresses, last names, schools, etc.) on the front page. The public has access to that page, and public access to photos and info is a mistake.

• You can set the profile to private. This means only friends and family can access beyond the front page.

• As a rule, relationships on the internet should only be with people you already know (from school, church, clubs, work, family). At no point should a relationship be initiated and developed based on typed words. Make friends with people whose face you can see, whose voice you can hear, whose trust has been earned and proven over time.

Remember, for our children to be “Predator Proof” they must follow the rules we set for them; it is our job to make the decisions and use the discretion that will keep them safe.