Internet safety

Online safety tips for kids and parents

Compiled by The Detroit News

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Internet safety tips

For kids

To avoid contact with online predators, experts advise children:

Never give out personal information like your name, address, age, sex, phone number or school name, unless you have your parents' permission.

Don't send your picture to anybody without your parents' permission.

Tell parents if you come across information that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Never arrange face-to-face meetings with people you have met over the Internet.

Don't respond to messages that are mean or make you feel uncomfortable (and tell your parents right away so they can call the police or Internet service provider).

Don't do anything online that hurts somebody or breaks the law.

Talk with your parents to set up rules for when you can use the Internet and appropriate areas you can visit. Don't break the rules without their permission.

Don't give out your Internet passwords to anybody except your parents (not even to your best friend).

Remember, people may not be who they say they are.

For parents

Be open with kids and encourage them to come to you if they encounter a problem online.

Keep the computer in a high-traffic part of the house, like the living room.

Learn everything you can about the Internet.

Learn everything you can about the Internet.

Check out blocking and filtering programs.

Reporting Internet crimes

To report inappropriate Internet activity regarding children, go to: http://cybertipline.com. If you know of a child who is in immediate danger, call your local police department.

Sources: i-SAFE America, a nonprofit Internet safety education foundation, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.