What’s your child surfing?

The Internet has become an indispensable element of life for most people in the contemporary world, and children are not excluded. It’s a place where your kids jumble with others and enhance their social life. While it's a valuable resource for schoolwork, communication, recreation--and learning essential computer skills—there’re dark sides too. As a parent it is important to assume the responsibility for your child's online computer use, at home, at school, and even in the library. Sujaya Guha reveals more on this.

There are roughly 30 million children using the Internet today. It has brought the world into our living rooms, and in doing so has provided the opportunity to meet and communicate with people from all over the world. Today there are many sites contain areas where children and teenagers can post personal information about themselves including their name, age, location, photographs, contact details and in some instances their sexual preference. In many cases the predators attempt to gain a child’s trust by pretending to be the same age as their victim.

Dr. Arti Anand, Consultant Psychologist, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi expresses, “Internet bullying occurs more frequently with children. Threats, harassment and psychological torment via email or in a virtual chat can have a devastating effect on your child.”

Warning bells

• You find pornography on your child's computer.
• She is spending a large amount of time on the Internet.
• Receiving gifts, phone calls or mails from people you do not know.
• When you enter the room she changes the screen or turns the computer off.
• Increased aggression, poor school performance, fear, etc.

Steps towards safe surfing

Block out
Get to know the services your child uses. If you don't know how to log on, get your child to show you. He may not reveal everything but it’s a good start - at least he'll know you're interested. Find out what types of information it offers and whether there are ways for parents to block out objectionable material.

Right place
Locate the computer in a common room such as in the playroom or in your bedroom rather than in your child's bedroom. Children will be less likely to seek out inappropriate information and you can more easily monitor the website they are visiting.

Select the site
Discuss with your children what kinds of sites you feel are okay for them to explore, and which sites are not. “Tell them that not all web sites are friendly and if they encounter a site that makes them feel uncomfortable, they should leave the site immediately,” suggests Dr. Arti.

Avoid meeting
Never allow your child to arrange a face-to-face meeting with another computer user. If a meeting is arranged at last, make it in a public spot, and be sure to accompany your child. Be very careful about any offers that involve your coming to a meeting or having someone visit your house.

No chance to chat
Discourage your child from entering chat rooms. If there is a chat room on a topic your child would like to participate in, enter into the chat room together.

Be cool
Dr. Arti Anand shares, “Don't panic if you discover any record of inappropriate pictures or conversations on a computer after your child has used it. Talk to her if you're worried and explain that she shouldn't give out personal information to people she meets on the internet. Try to control your temper and handle the situation warily.”

Watch out

• A survey shows that more than a quarter of 11 to 18-year-old people visit adult websites, while 27% of them interacts with strangers online.
• Most children that fall victim to computer-sex offenders spend large amounts of time on-line, particularly in chat rooms. They may go on-line after dinner and on the weekends.
• Computer-sex offenders work very hard at driving a wedge between a child and her family or at exploiting their relationship.