Nearly all American children now have access to the Internet at home, in school, or at public libraries. Internet technology affords minors access to vast amounts of valuable information and endless sources of entertainment. However, it also exposes them to certain dangers and to harmful materials. For example, minor children can easily and unintentionally come into contact with hard-core pornographic Websites, porn-SPAM (unsolicited emails) containing obscene photos and videos, and file swapping or instant messaging (P2P or IM) programs with harmful and sometimes mislabeled media content or misleading titles.  They can also encounter actual predators who use the Internet, IM, emails, chat rooms, etc., to find, identify, and lure their immature victims into harmful relationships or conduct.

As a result, some parents may understandably feel the urge to try to eliminate these risks by completely cutting off their children's access to the Internet or to certain online functions, like IM and chats.  However, a decision to completely prohibit children from using the Internet would deprive them of access to a resource for legitimate information and communication. Parents might also find it impractical to enforce such prohibitions. For instance, motivated children and teens could circumvent their parents' rules by going online in schools, libraries, Internet cafes, friends' homes, or by using mobile phones and other Internet access devices. For these reasons, it is important for parents to realize that they can strike a balance between the benefits that the Internet offers their children and the risks that it poses. Parents can achieve such a balance by communicating with their children about the dangers of the Internet and by taking other protective and educational steps like those discussed below.

Communicating with younger children and teenagers about the risks that they can encounter online is an essential step in keeping them safe while they surf. Many parents find it helpful to set down clear rules for their children to follow. Examples of rules include "no giving out your name, age or address," "no posting your picture on public sites of any kind," and "no chatting with strangers." Sometimes families find it helpful to design formal Internet usage agreements or "contracts."  See  www.nap.edu/netsafekids/pro_set_guidelines.html for tips on setting up those kinds of agreements. 

Making use of modern technology tools, parental controls provided free by your ISP, and educational programs by government and private sector groups is also an important part of having net-savvy and self-protecting children online.  Check out the programs, filters, and settings available from your ISP and explore the many programs and learning tools available to parents, children, and educators, such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's online safety programs at www.ncmec.org and www.NetSmartz.org , as well as resources linked from the FBI site at www.fbi.gov/fbikids.htm and from DOJ's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section at http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/ceos/onlinesafety.htm