| Isn't that obscene?I heard Kris commenting on seeing | | | | problem and help them avoid problems in the future. |
| an obscene image on the web page to Philip.Why | | | | Remember - how you respond to a problem initially |
| should anybody be allowed to use such images in | | | | will determine whether they confide in you the next |
| online? Someone should do something about people | | | | time they encounter a problem and how they learn |
| like these who made this horrible, obscene web page | | | | to deal with problems on their own.Guidelines for |
| that uses pictures like that where anyone could see | | | | Parents to avoid risks online for their teensGet to |
| them. What will become of my teenage son when he | | | | know about internet: If you are not aware of the |
| comes across such a page? Why don't we censor | | | | internet, get to know about it. At least the basics. |
| this kind of thing?I was surprised to hear Philip's | | | | This will help you guide your teen and watch his/her |
| reply:Well, no, what you say? It's art. I see worse | | | | online activities.Get to know about your teen's |
| than that on TV channels! Why would anybody be | | | | browsing habits: Don't let your teen go online |
| upset about that?We're all adults here, right? And if | | | | unsupervised. Always know what your teen is doing |
| we aren't, if there is some young innocent | | | | online. This doesn't mean peeping above their |
| thirteen-year-old soul, why are their parents not | | | | shoulders. Consider keeping the computer in a family |
| supervising their internet use? Why would pictures | | | | room rather than in the teen's bedroom. Browse |
| like that bother anyone? Why should we censor | | | | along with your teen when you are free. Let him/her |
| that?Now, who is right? Neither or both. No one can | | | | share their favorite sites with you. This will give you |
| really answer this question in just one word. This is a | | | | an idea about their browsing habits.Get to know |
| never ending debate. While debating on whether a | | | | about your teen's alternative sources of going online: |
| page is Obscene or not, our focus turns on to our | | | | Understand that there are many sources by which |
| young innocent soul that has just started surfing the | | | | teens can go online other than your PC at home. It |
| net. Parents are worried about the risks to their | | | | can be in a friend's house, in school, a library, club, or |
| teens online, while some are not really aware of it. | | | | cafe. Many game consoles can be connected to the |
| Although there is a reason to be concerned about | | | | Internet and used for chatting and other online |
| exposing teens to sexually explicit material, it's | | | | interaction. It is also possible to access the Internet |
| important to look beyond pornography when thinking | | | | on mobile devices such as cellular telephones and |
| about keeping teens safe on the Net.The Internet | | | | other handheld devices. Get to know about your |
| has good information that teens can learn from and | | | | teen's e-friends: Like pen friends those days, teens |
| use. The Internet connects teens globally to other | | | | may have e-friends. It's absolutely safe if that |
| teens. The number of teens using the Internet | | | | relationship stops at healthy chatting. It's not safe to |
| grows rapidly each day. However, there are risks | | | | allow your teen to arrange a face to face meeting |
| involved. When teens are online, they become more | | | | with someone they "meet" on the Internet without |
| vulnerable. Teenagers are particularly at risk because | | | | parental permission. If a meeting is arranged, make |
| they often go online unsupervised and are more likely | | | | the first one in a public place, and be sure to |
| than younger children to participate in online | | | | accompany. Remember that people online may not |
| discussions regarding companionship, relationships, or | | | | be who they seem. As you can't see or even hear |
| sexual activity. According to a recent U.S. | | | | the person, it would be easy for someone to |
| Department of Justice study, 24 million children | | | | misrepresent him or her. Thus someone indicating |
| between the ages of 12 and 17 use the Internet. | | | | that "she" is a "16-year-old girl" could in reality be a |
| One in 5 children online is sexually solicited yet only 1 | | | | 35-year-old man.Tell your teen about the importance |
| in 4 reportedly tells an adult about the | | | | of Privacy: Instruct the teen to never give out |
| solicitation.Risks that are faced by teens onlineThe | | | | identifying information such as photographs, home |
| main risks a teenager may face online are:Exposure | | | | address, school name, e-mail id or telephone number, |
| to Obscene material - Many a time, teens may have | | | | in a public message such as chat or newsgroups. Tell |
| to confront with material that is disturbing or | | | | the teen about the importance of keeping personal |
| inappropriate which is violent or sexual in nature. Peer | | | | information, credit card number and passwords |
| to peer networks are sometimes used to distribute | | | | confidential. Tell the teen breaching into others |
| pornography, including child pornography. Many | | | | privacy is bad manners.Install software to block and |
| commercial web sites have links to pornographic | | | | watch: Use filtering programs such as NetNanny, |
| sites.Harassment and bullying - Teens might | | | | SurfWatch, CyberPatrol and CyberSitter. These |
| encounter e-mail or bulletin board messages that are | | | | software, helps in blocking porn sites, hate sites and |
| harassing, demeaning, or belligerent.Physical | | | | others that meet their blocking criteria. It also blocks |
| molestation - Teens might provide personal | | | | sites containing words that have been deemed |
| information to strangers on the web or arrange an | | | | obscene. It provides reasonably good access to safe |
| encounter that could risk his or her safety or the | | | | sites that ought to be available. This also monitors |
| safety of other family members. In a few cases, | | | | where a child has been.Another option is to use a |
| intruders had used online services and bulletin boards | | | | rating system that relies on web-site operators to |
| to gain a child's confidence and then arrange a face | | | | indicate the nature of their material. Internet |
| to face meeting. Monitory loss - Teens could do | | | | browsers can be configured to only allow teens to |
| something that may be illegal or that leads to financial | | | | visit sites that are rated at the level that the parents |
| consequences, such as giving away father's credit | | | | specify. The advantage to this method is that only |
| card number.Places of Risk in the Cyberspace for a | | | | appropriately rated sites can be viewed. The |
| Teenager.Just like there are many TV channels, there | | | | disadvantage of using such software is that, some |
| are many avenues in the web. The risky places on | | | | time good sites may also be blocked because of the |
| the web for a teenager includeCommercial | | | | word it may contain. Eg. Some sites which give |
| sitesInternet relay chat(IRC)Instant | | | | information on "Breast cancer" may be blocked if you |
| Messaging(IM)ChatroomsE-mailPeer-to-Peer | | | | block the sites which contain the word "Breast" in it. |
| NetworksNewsgroups, Forums and Bulletin | | | | Many parents have a question in their mind, "Should I |
| BoardsShould Teens be monitored by parents | | | | stop my teenager from using the web?" The answer |
| online?YES. Nowadays teens demand privacy. At the | | | | is a big NO. To tell teens to stop using these services |
| same time, they also need parental involvement and | | | | would be like telling them to stop attending school |
| supervision in their daily lives. The same general | | | | because students sometimes get to develop bad |
| parenting skills that apply to the "real world" also | | | | friendship there. A better strategy would be to teach |
| apply while online. Talk to them about their online | | | | teens how to be smart. Teach them moral values so |
| activities. If your teenage son/daughter tells you | | | | that they know what is right and wrong in order to |
| about an upsetting message, person, or web site | | | | safeguard them in any potentially risky situation.Safe |
| encountered while online, immediately don't blame | | | | surfing!!!!! |
| your teen but help him/her to get out of the | | | | |