Do online safety rules change with the age of the child?
When children start with computers, they are usually sitting on your lap and exploring, safely. Their only rule – not to break the computer. As they get older, they need to learn not to share passwords with friends, not to share personal information online and that people in chat rooms are strangers. As teens, they should have learned those rules and more – such as, safe social networking skills, never be rude online and never participate in “sexting” – sending nude or sexually explicit photos or videos on the internet or via cell phone. There’s a lot to learn and technology is always changing! How far should parents go with respecting privacy vs safety? A very personal choice. I believe kids, as long as they live in my house must follow my rules. They have time limits, rules about which websites allowed. We use a parental online management tool that helps me control content. They have to “friend” me on social networking sites. I try to remember they’re kids and bound to make mistakes.
