Released on = June 20, 2007, 9:18 pm

Press Release Author = Shalayne Alexandria

Industry = Internet & Online

Press Release Summary = Teen Author, Shalayne Alexandria, offers 10 steps to keep
your kids and teens safe online while you are at work this summer

Press Release Body = It's summertime. That means no homework to check after you come
home from work, no dragging your kids out of bed at six-thirty in the morning, no
security of knowing how your kids are spending their days while you're at work and
they're at school. Now, you might not be able to control their every move, but you
can keep them safer on the internet by following a few, simple online safety
guidelines:

1. Communicate with your kids. Even if you've gone over the basic internet safety
rules before, go over them again. It's summer. Your kids have a lot of idle time on
their hands and they may be feeling adventurous. Perhaps even adventurous enough to
forget that something is against the rules. While you're at it, make sure they know
that the rules you set down apply not only to internet usage in your home, but in
the homes of friends and family as well. Get them to talk about their activities and
the people they encounter on the internet. Be sure to ask them specific questions.
For example: "Do you have a dual profile. One for me (the parent) and one for your
friends online?" An open dialogue may reduce the need to spy on your own children.
2. When in doubt, spy anyway! Computer usage is a privilege, not a right. Maybe your
kids are being upfront with you about what they're doing online. By the same token,
maybe they're not. For the same reason a teenager may lie about parental supervision
at a party, he/she may lie about what they do online: they know it's against the
rules or that you wouldn't approve. There's a very easy tool you can use to find out
what your kids are doing online and (best of all) it's free! It's called the browser
history. In Internet Explorer 7, it's accessible in a few simple clicks. Simply
click the star on the toolbar, select 'History', and pick the day. By default, it
only displays the browser history for the previous two weeks, but that can be
adjusted by going into Internet Explorer and clicking Internet Options in the tool
menu. In the general tab, click 'settings' in the browser history section. Here, you
can adjust how many days Internet Explorer saves the list of websites visited and
(this is for all versions of IE) you can view an internet history that goes months
back.
3. Keep the computer in a central area, even the portable laptop. Kids are more
likely to censor themselves if they know Mom or Dad could walk in at any time.
4. Remind your kids not to give out any personally identifying information. Things
they should never reveal include but are not limited to: their surname, the name of
their school, their team name, their home address, and their favorite hangouts.
5. Advise your children not to upload or post any photos of themselves without your
knowledge or approval.
6. Instruct your child not to make any purchases on the internet without your
knowledge and approval, no matter what the cost or amount of money.
7. Tell your kids to trust their instincts. If a contact or encounter on the
internet makes them feel uncomfortable, it is more than OK ignore the person or
click away from the site entirely. Let them know they should tell you about it
without fear of getting in trouble or having their computer privilege taken away.
8. Turn on your parental controls to filter the content your kids view on the
internet. If you use Internet Explorer: Go to your internet options, select the
'content' tab and click 'enable' to open the content advisor and adjust the
settings. Don't forget to set up a supervisor password in the general tab of the
content supervisor.
9. Sign an age appropriate computer user agreement or contract between you and your
child specifying a code of conduct that he/she has to follow. If he or she breaks
the agreement, they get whatever discipline you outlined in the agreement you both
signed.
10. If all else fails, put a username and password on the computer so that they
can't get on the computer at all unless you let them on. Here's how you can do this
on your computer: Start Menu/My Computer>control panel>User Accounts>Change an
Account>Select the account you want to change>Create a password.

The internet can be a source of information and entertainment for your child. Help
your child have a fun, safe summer online.
(Note: While Internet Explorer is the browser referred to in this article, similar
instructions are likely applicable in other web browsers as well. See your preferred
web browser's help document for more information.)

About The Author


Shalayne Alexandria is the teen author of the Nyville High book series & blog,
co-creator of the ShiShiDiva fashion accessories line and media content consultant
for fortune 500 companies interested in teen trends. Alexandria's fiction book,
Nyville High No. 1: Welcome to Nyville! features a cautionary storyline about
internet safety for kids and teens. The book is available in paperback July 2007 .
Please email for an interview today.


Web Site = http://www.ShalayneAlexandria.com

Contact Details = Shalayne@ShalayneAlexandria.com