Your children will use the Internet as a place to communicate with people they know in real life, as well as people they do not know. Please consider these points:

• Sexual predators frequent various chat rooms looking for children.
• Most parents are unfamiliar with common chat room lingo that teenagers use to warn that their parents are watching.
• Many parents allow their children to use the computer in private areas of the house such as a bedroom or a home office.

Ways to protect them:

• Talk with your children about what they can and cannot do online.
• Be open with your children and encourage them to come to you if they encounter a problem online.
• Learn everything you can about the internet, especially the online lingo.
• Check into blocking, filtering and monitoring software.
• Recognize the other places your child can access the Internet, such as a friend's house, school, or the library.
• Be able to put a face to each of the screennames on your child's buddy list and know who he or she is communicating with through email.
• More than anything, teach your children to never give out their personal information, or pictures and NEVER meet in person someone they first "met" online.
• If you suspect someone is sexually exploiting or communicating inappropriately with your child, notify local law enforcement immediately.