As in the real world you need to teach your child how to avoid risks and how to handle different situations. We would encourage you to set up your own rules together with your child on how to use the computer and the Internet. By taking responsibility for your children's online computer use, parents can greatly minimize any potential risks of being online. Our experience is that many of our young users are very aware of the ethics on the Internet and react when someone breaks against the rules. Please raise your child to become a good online citizen, to help us keep this a safe environment. Make it a family rule to:

* Never give out identifying information - home address, school name, or telephone number in a public message such as chat or newsgroups, and be sure you're dealing with someone both you and your children know and trust before giving out this information via email. Think carefully before revealing any personal information such as age, financial information, or marital status. Do not post photographs of your children in newsgroups or on web sites that are available to the public. Consider using a pseudonym, avoid listing your child's name and email address in any public directories and profiles, and find out about your ISP's privacy policies and exercise your options for how your personal information may be used.

* Encourage your child to be careful when disclosing personal information. It is important that adults are aware that many web pages made for children require giving out personal information to access content. Being conscious of when and where it is all right to reveal personal information is vital. A simple rule could be that the child should not give out name, phone number or picture without your approval.

* Get to know the Internet and any services your child uses. If you don't know how to log on, get your child to show you. Have your child show you what he or she does online, and become familiar with all the activities that are available online. Find out if your child has a free web-based email account, such as those offered by Hotmail and Yahoo!®, and learn their user names and passwords.

* Talk about the risks associated with meeting an e-pal face to face. Adults should understand that the Internet could be a positive meeting place for children, where they can get to know other children and make new friends. However, to avoid unpleasant experiences, it is important that children do not meet strangers they have met on the net without being accompanied by an adult, friends or others they trust. In any case, the child should always have their parents' approval first.

* Never respond to messages that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, threatening, or make you feel uncomfortable. Encourage your children to tell you if they encounter such messages. If you or your child receives a message that is harassing, of a sexual nature, or threatening, forward a copy of the message to your ISP, and ask for their assistance. Instruct your child not to click on any links that are contained in E-mail from persons they don't know. Such links could lead to sexually explicit or otherwise inappropriate web sites or could be a computer virus. If someone sends you or your children messages or images that are filthy, indecent, lewd, or obscene with the intent to abuse annoy, harass, or threaten you, or if you become aware of the transmission, use, or viewing of child pornography while online immediately report this to the NCMEC's CyberTipline at 1-800-843-5678 or www.cybertipline.com. Set reasonable rules and guidelines for computer use by your children.

* Remember that people online may not be who they seem. Because you cannot see or even hear the person it would be easy for someone to misrepresent him- or herself. Thus someone indicating that "she" is a "12-year-old girl" could in reality be a 40-year-old man.

* Remember that everything you read online may not be true. Any offer that's too good to be true probably is. Be careful about any offers that involve you going to a meeting, having someone visit your house, or sending money or credit-card information.

* Don't be too critical towards your child's exploration of the internet. Children may come across adult material by accident on the web. If a child intentionally searches for such web sites, remember that it is natural for children to be curious about off-limits material. Try to use this as an opening to discuss the content with them, and perhaps make rules for this kind of activity. Be realistic in your assessment of how your child uses the Internet.

* Set reasonable rules and guidelines for computer use by your children.
Discuss these rules and post them near the computer as a reminder.
Remember to monitor your children's compliance with these rules, especially when it comes to the amount of time your children spend on the computer. A child's excessive use of online services or the Internet, especially late at night, may be a clue that there is a potential problem. Remember that personal computers and online services should not be used as electronic babysitters.

* Check out blocking, filtering, and ratings applications together. Be sure to make this a family activity. Consider keeping the computer in a family room rather than the child's bedroom. Get to know their online friend's just as you get to know all of their other friends. If your child has a cellular telephone, talk with him or her about using it safely. The same rules that apply to computer use, also apply to cellular telephones.

* Teach your child about source criticism on the net. Most children use the Internet to improve and develop knowledge in relation to schoolwork and personal interests. Net users should be aware that not all information found online is correct. Educate children on how to verify information they find by comparing to alternative sources on the same topic.

* Encourage good Netiquette. Netiquette is the informal code of conduct for the internet. As in everyday life, there are informal ethical rules for how to behave when relating to other people on the Internet. These include being polite, using correct language and not yell at (write in capital letters) or harass others. Also, children as well as grown up's should not read others email or copy protected material.

* Remember that the positive aspects of the Internet outweigh the negatives. Internet is an excellent educational and recreational resource for children. Encourage your child to be conscious and explore the Internet to its full potential. (These tips are based on tips from American www.safekids.com (National Center of Exploited and Missing Children) and from European www.saftonline.org, Safety Awareness, Facts and Tools)

* Kids rules for online safety (print out and put up close to your computer at home) www.safekids.com/kidsrules.htm