What rules should I set to make sure my child is safe online?

Set clear family Internet ground rules based on safety, responsibility and respect. Know all family passwords, user/screen names and accounts. Eighty-seven percent of kids say they are more likely to surf the web when their parents didn’t establish rules verses 63 percent with parents who did set rules. Many families have their children sign a pledge or contract that they will abide by the rules. Set rules that work for your kids and family then have frequent chats. Here are my 6 P’s of Internet Safety.

• Parental Presence: A parent will check your online activity.
• Public: The computer is public, anyone and everybody can see what you write. You are representing yourself and our family online with where you go and what you say. Your password and accounts will be public to your parents and we will monitor your online presence together.
• Posts: There are no “take-backs” so don’t click unless you want the world -- including Grandma -- to see your post.
• Privacy: Don’t make it easy for people to find you. Passwords, name, birth date, address, location, school name, social security number are always to be kept private.
• People: Never meet anyone offline that you meet online. Never! People are not who you think they may be online.
• Please tell: If you ever feel uncomfortable about something online, please come and tell me.