What Parents Need to Know about the Internet

The Center for Missing and Exploited Children is going around to a number of local schools, warning students and teachers about the dangers to students on the internet.

Many parents don't know what they're kids are even up to on the web. For instance, kids use new slang on the internet that parents may be unfamilar with.

"There's lots of lingo that parents are unfamilar with. Like POS means 'parent over shoulder' and the child will change their language. Parents must become accostomed to that lingo," says Pam Weaver of the Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Kids are taught basic guidelines for internet safety like:

• Don't give out personal information like name, age or address.
• Don't respond to mean, offensive or threatening emails or instant messages.
• Choose a screen name that doesn't identify you as a boy or a girl.
• Don't share your password with anyone except a parent/guardian.
• Remember, people may not be who they say they are online.

If parents are looking for more information: Visit the website for Missing and Exploited Children. Or try the CyberTipline website to see how to report violations against children. Or check out Netsmartz.com with your kids to get info for both parents and kids.

Check out Lynne Dixon's special report about the website MySpace.com, and some of the dangers that most parents are oblivious to. You can see it by clicking on the link on the right hand side of the top of this page.