How to keep your internet kid-friendly

The Internet has done some great things for guys. Without it, we wouldn't have Yoga For Dudes, videos of frat party pranks, the lethal combination of Mentos and diet soda, or the glory and wonder of online men's magazines.

For all of its advantages for the single dude, it creates an equal amount of disadvantages for the concerned dad. The Internet is a virtual breeding ground for cyberbullies, scammers, phishers and sexual predators, among other seedy and nefarious characters. And more often than not, these online crooks target the least-suspecting and innocent among us: our children.

To compound the problem even more, our children seem to know more about computers and online phenomena than we do. While we're still teaching them how to tie their shoes, they're reprogramming our cell phones and modifying our Web browsers. They can't even comprehend a world without computers, and if we want to protect them we have to be just as up-to-date and savvy as they are.

The time to start is now. Here are some tips to get you well on your way toward protecting your child from online danger:

1. Be a parent - There is no substitute for good parenting. You cannot expect schools, churches or police departments to teach your children to be safe online. The impetus falls upon you. Open the lines of communication with your boy or girl. Although it may be uncomfortable, you have to be willing to discuss the threat of sexual predators with them; otherwise, how can you expect them to be comfortable enough to talk to you when someone approaches them online? There is no more important rule: talk to your kids.
   
   
2. Set ground rules - Your children should follow a strict set of rules while online. We're all familiar with them, but it is your job to make sure your children are, too.  Never give out personal information, like your name, age, address, phone number, school, town or password. Predators can use even the most insignificant piece of information to determine where you live.  Never agree to meet anyone in person that you met online. People are often not who they say they are.  Never visit a chat room without adult supervision. The "kids" your child meets online aren't always kids.  Some experts recommend drawing up a Safe Internet Contract with your child and signing it together.
   
   
3. Supervise their computer time - If left to their own devices, kids are bound to get in trouble. The Internet, however, is one place where they should never be getting in trouble. Make sure you supervise their Internet time. Visit sites with your children, and help them set up safe pages on social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook. Know their passwords, and check up on them later to make sure they're not getting into trouble. If they want an email account, set up one for them under your account. Keep track of their emails, and read what people are sending them. This might seem like an invasion of privacy, but when it comes to the Internet your child should not be keeping anything from you.
   
   
4. Invest in protection software - There are several types of protection software that can protect your children from adult-oriented material and possibly dangerous situations online. Blocking software will prevent them from accessing certain "bad sites" the developer has deemed unsafe. Filtering software will prevent them from accessing sites that contain certain key words in their domain names. Monitoring and tracking software will keep a detailed list of your computer's traffic history, allowing you to see where your child has been and how long he or she was there. Finally, outgoing filters will prevent your child from sending personal information online, like their name, address and phone number.
   
   
5. Get to know the language - "asl? jam, paw." If you can't read this, then you're an adult. Chances are, however, your kids know exactly what this means. They're fluent in chat speak, and they use it in instant messages, text messages, chat rooms ... even in real life. Get to know the language, or it won't matter how long you stand over their shoulders. For more information, check out the Chat Word Dictionary. Incidentally, the previous message was "Age, sex, location? Just a minute, parents are watching."
   
   
6. Steer them in the right direction - While there are thousands of sites out there that can be harmful to your child, there are an equal number of Web sites that are geared toward children and even work to protect them. If your child is just starting out, point them in the right direction with sites like SesameWorkshop.org, The Yuckiest Site on the Internet, the Internet Public Library, Yahooligans and the National Gallery of Arts Kids' Page.

Although it may seem like it's you against the world (and it often is), there are ways to keep your kids safe on the Internet. If you stay smart, stay active and stay savvy, you can protect your kids online just like you do at home.

Other helpful links:
American Library Association's list of Great Sites for Kids
KidSites.com
Kris Abel's (Canadian tech reporter) 100 Websites for kids