Cobleskill Village Police Department Internet Safety

Internet Safety Links

Please use the information presented in the following pages to help you and your children make the Internet a safe, fun, and enjoyable experience.

Eight Rules for Internet Safety
  1. I will not give out personal information such as my address, telephone number, parents’ work address/telephone number, or the name and location of my school without my parents’ permission.
  2. I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable.
  3. I will never agree to get together with someone I “meet” online without first checking with my parents. If my parents agree to the meeting, I will be sure that it is in a public place and bring my mother or father along.
  4. I will never send a person my picture or anything else without first checking with my parents.
  5. I will not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way make me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If I do I will tell my parents right away so that they can contact the service provider.
  6. I will talk with my parents so that we can set up rules for going online. We will decide upon the time of day that I can be online, the length of time I can be online, and appropriate areas for me to visit.
  7. I will not access other areas or break these rules without their permission.
  8. I will be a good online citizen and not do anything that hurts other people or is against the law.
Internet Safety Guide for Parents
  • Learn everything you can about computers and the Internet.
    • Learn about:
      • Hardware, software, and terminology
      • Misuse and risks
      • Blocking, filtering, and ratings
      • “Good” web sites
    • Develop and increase proficiency through use.
    • Make “surfing the Net” a family experience.
      • Share places of interest.
      • Ask your children to demonstrate use.
  • Talk with your children about what they can and cannot do online.
    • Be reasonable and set reasonable expectations.
    • Try to understand their needs, interest, and curiosity.
  • Place the computer in a central area of the house, not in a child’s bedroom or secluded area.
  • Know your child’s screen name(s) and password(s).
  • Set reasonable time limits on use and ensure that your expectations are respected.
  • An Internet Service Provider (ISP) account should always be established and maintained by a parent.
    • This ensures that a parent can legally maintain control of use and can access recoreds, if necessary.
    • If an account is set up in a child’s name, it may be difficult, if not impossible, to obtain account information without the child’s permission.
  • You should also realize that children may be accessing the Internet from outside of your home. Places include:
    • Friends homes
    • Work
    • Libraries
    • Stores
    • Internet Coffee Shops/Cafes
    • School
  • Be open with your children and encourage them to come to you if they encounter a problem online.
    • If they tell you about someone or something that they encountered, your first response should not be to blame them or take away their Internet privileges.
    • Work with them to help them avoid problems in the future.
  • How you respond can determine:
    • Whether or not they confide in you the next time a problem is encountered.
    • How they learn to deal with problems on their own.
Parents’ Internet Safety Pledge
(printable version)

 

  1. I will get to know the services and web sites my child uses. If I don’t know how to use them, I will get my child to show me how.
  2. I will set reasonable rules and guidelines for computer use by my children, and will discuss these rules and post them near the computer as a reminder. I will remember to monitor their compliance with these rules, especially when it comes to the amount of time they spend on the computer.
  3. I will not overreact if my child tells me about a problem he or she is having on the Internet. Instead, we will work together to try to solve the problem and prevent it from happening again.
  4. I promise not to use a computer or the Internet as an electronic babysitter.
  5. I will help make the Internet a family activity and ask my child to help plan family events using the Internet.
  6. I will try get to know my child’s “online friends” just as I try get to know his or her other friends.

I agree to follow the above pledge for online safety.

______________________________
(Parent’s Signature)

I understand that my parent has agreed to these rules and agree to help my parent explore the Internet with me.

______________________________
(Kid’s Signature)

Kids’ Internet Safety Pledge
(printable version)
  1. I will not give out personal information such as my address, telephone number, parents’ work address/telephone number, or the name and location of my school without my parents’ permission.
  2. I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable.
  3. I will never agree to get together with someone I “meet” online without first checking with my parents. If my parents agree to the meeting, I will be sure that it is in a public place and bring my mother or father along.
  4. I will never send a person my picture or anything else without first checking with my parents.
  5. I will not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way make me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If I do I will tell my parents right away so that they can contact the service provider.
  6. I will talk with my parents so that we can set up rules for going online. We will decide upon the time of day that I can be online, the length of time I can be online, and appropriate areas for me to visit. I will not access other areas or break these rules without their permission.
  7. I will not give out my Internet password to anyone (even my best friends) other than my parents.
  8. I will be a good online citizen and not do anything that hurts other people or is against the law.

I agree to follow the above pledge for online safety.

______________________________
(Kid’s Signature)

I will help my child follow this agreement and will allow reasonable use of the Internet as long as these rules and other family rules are followed.

______________________________
(Parent’s Signature)