Detective Rob Givens' internet safety tips for parents
• Have clear rules on screen time that are managed and enforced.
• Have a "reach out and touch rule," meaning your child never befriends someone online that they have never "reached out and touched" in the real world. Teach children that they should never give personal information to a stranger online.
• Keep computers, tablets and cell phones in common areas. Do not allow your children to sleep with their devices.
• Teach children to assume photos sent on a cell phone will be online forever.
• Remember that the internet is not anonymous. Threats and harassment are serious crimes and the internet can create a record used as evidence.
• Treat the connections to the internet like a door to your bedroom and monitor traffic accordingly.
• Trust but verify. Periodically check your child's devices: Know their passwords and install cybernanny software. Open applications and see what is there, but also pay attention to what is not there. Lack of data can be indicative of your child deleting data to conceal activity.
• Research the applications your child is using. A simple internet search can reveal whether an application is potentially unsafe.
• Keep in mind that your child may have access to the internet by using friends' devices and devices at school. Don't assume what your child's technological skill level is -- they can learn tricks from others.
• Teach your children not to be afraid to get in trouble from parents or other adults for reporting suspicious or alarming interactions they have online.
• If you suspect your child is being exploited online, do not delete anything. Do not notify the suspect you're calling police. Notify police immediately.
More resources
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children;
http://missingkids.com
• http://safekids.com
• "Safety Monitor: How to Protect Your Kids Online," a book by Mike Sullivan.