AG recognizes National Internet Safety Month

June 18, 2009 --Attorney General Steve Six is reminding Kansans to take time this month to educate themselves and their families about internet safety.  June is National Internet Safety Month and with kids out of school parents need to be more cautious about their activities online.

"National Internet Safety Month is a chance to remind Kansans of the risks and dangers associated with the internet," Six said. "The internet can be a fun and useful tool, but it also has dangers. I encourage parents and kids to become better educated about the threats they may face online."

NetSafeKansas.com is a powerful, educational tool for the whole family. At NetSafeKansas.com, teens and kids can find information to help educate themselves about social networking safety, cyber bullying, internet predators and more.  And parents can learn how to protect their children from online predators, while learning to prevent exploitation of their own personal information.

Here are a few helpful NetSafe tips for parents:

• Keep the computer in a central location in your home instead of in a bedroom or office if at all possible.
• Know when your children are online and establish parameters for their online activity.
• Set up the Internet account in your name and maintain control of the primary screen name and controlling passwords.
• Contact your Internet Service Provider to set up any parental-control tools that allow you to block certain sites and filter content. Remember: these programs are not a substitute for parental supervision and communication about the Internet.
• Ask your children to show you what they can do online, visit their favorite sites with them and talk about what applications they are using.
• Teach your children to never give their personal information (name, address, phone number, school, hometown) to people they meet online in chat rooms or on bulletin boards.
• Ask your children about their online friends and oversee their chat areas.
• Tell your children about the danger of meeting someone in person who they "met" online. Remind them that not everything they read or see on the Internet is true.
• If you feel it is OK for your child to meet their online friends, insist they bring you along and meet in a public place.
• Talk to your children about offensive or dangerous emails or chats. Tell them to never respond to these messages. Rather than deleting such communications, tell your child to turn off the monitor and tell an adult immediately so they may contact local law enforcement.
• Talk to children about what to do if they see something that makes them feel scared, uncomfortable or confused. Emphasize that it's not their fault if they see something upsetting and that they should tell an adult immediately.
• If you suspect online "stalking" or sexual exploitation of a child, report it to your local law enforcement agency immediately.  

"I encourage parents to make internet safety a family concern all year," Six said. "Take some time to visit NetSafeKansas.com to learn more about making the internet a safe and enjoyable place for everyone."