Keeping children safe on the Internet
A resource I stumbled across recently was NetAlert, a not-for-profit organisation set up by the Australian Government to help answer people’s questions about safety and privacy on the internet.
The site has a particular emphasis on giving advice to families that are concerned about their children’s safety when online. To help inform and engage people, they have produced a free Internet Safety Information Kit called Keeping children safe on the Internet.
I ordered myself a kit to check it out and it presents as a very professional package. The kit contains:
- A Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety, a 16-page primer on the Internet and associated safety issues;
- Information brochure, Just some of the ways you can keep them safe on the Internet (pretty self-explanatory);
- Who’s looking out for your child online?, a brochure for the Netty’s World website, a site for educating kids about the internet;
- A nifty mouse mat, featuring a safety checklist and other information on the reverse side;
- A couple of other information sheets designed to remind parents and kids about internet safety.
From my perspective, the information provided in the kit is a good, basic introduction to the Internet that should help non-technical parents understand some of the safety issues that their kids face.
Don’t expect to find recommendations for technical issues (eg. which antivirus / antispyware / firewall / etc to use…), just good, practical advice on developing safe online habits for parents and their children.
The kit can be ordered free of charge (for delivery within Australia I assume, although the site doesn’t specify…) by filling out your details securely online or by phone/fax. Most of the included resources can also be read online on the NetAlert site.
If you know any parents that are worried about keeping their kids safe on the Internet, this kit is designed for them.
Blessings, Steve
[Listening to James Brown, Star Time — Get Up Offa That Thing]
