"...parents must take the same precautions with their kids online as they do when they send their kids outside to play." Learn more about Jorian Clarke

By Circle 1 Network, featuring Jorian Clarke

News about kids making friends with older and dangerous strangers on the Web continues to emerge regularly. It reinforces the need for parents to be actively involved in their kids' online activities.

"Kids and their computers should not stay behind closed bedroom doors, but should join the rest of the family in the living room," says Jorian Clarke, founder of KidsCom.com and president of Circle 1 Network. The founder of the longest-running Internet site for children has presented before the U.S. Congress, the FTC and at key conferences on the importance of protecting children's online safety and privacy.

"The Internet is a wonderful place for children to learn, grow and experience the wide world around them," Clarke says. "But it is just like any other playground. It can be dangerous and parents must take the same precautions with their kids online as they do when they send their kids outside to play."

KidsCom and KidsComJr.com encourage parents and children to make surfing the Web a family activity, so that parents know where their kids are going on the Internet and kids understand the importance of and how to protect their online privacy and safety.

Branded safety icons are another tool parents can look for so that they know sites are child safe. For instance, KidsCom uses the character Kidbe Safe™. Kidbe Safe appears on KidsCom and other sites to help parents quickly identify content that is child-oriented and responsible for use by children. These sites follow industry guidelines for safety and privacy and help remind kids to get their parents' permission before providing any personal information to a Web site.

Among the tips for parents to help keep their kids safe online include:

• Spend time regularly with your children online so that you can show and teach them how to stay safe online.
• Remind your kids about what sites are safe for them to visit and to tell you if they encounter inappropriate content.
• Ask your kids about what they are up to online and keep asking them regularly about their activities, online friends and more.
• Set clear Internet usage rules that kids understand they must always adhere to such as:
  • Never give out personal information like their address, telephone number or school name to anyone unless they have your permission.
  • Never meet with a cyberfriend or key pal unless you as the parent go with them or they have your expressed permission.
  • Never respond to any e-mail messages they get if they are strange, mean or upsetting to them, and to tell parents or teachers right away.
  • Never to send pictures of themselves, their friends or your family to anyone unless they have permission from you.
• Have regular refreshers of rules using games such as the KidsCom Internet Safety Game. This interactive game, which has been a part of the site for more than four years, teaches kids what information is safe and what's not safe to share in chat rooms and anywhere else online.

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