Online Safety Month: Keeping Kids Safe

From doing homework to social networking to playing video games, kids these days know their way around the Internet.  In fact, with more than 90% of teens and tweens online, parental awareness plays a tremendous role in protecting our children as they tap into Internet innovations.  In honor of online safety month, our latest Broadband Now video sheds light on what kids are up to online and shares important tips on ways parents can keep their kids safe as they explore broadband's vast opportunities.

Here are a few real-world parental rules that also apply to safety in the virtual world:

Don't Talk to Strangers. Tell your kids not to share personal information, accept anything, or engage in conversation with people they don't know on the Internet.

Meet Your Kid's Friends.  Be aware of who your children talk to on the Internet, even if it's just a quick online chat.

Know Where Your Children Are Going.  Talk to your kids about the sites they frequent, and visit the Family Online Safety Institute to download a free content filter to create online boundaries.

Only Say Nice Things About Others.  As cyber bullying becomes an increasing concern, encourage your kids to be polite and respectful in their online communications.

Don't Take Things That Don't Belong To You.  Online plagiarism and downloading illegally posted movies or songs should not be allowed in the virtual world, just as it is prohibited in the real world.

Interested in learning more?  Tune into our latest Broadband Now video to hear more about kids' activities and safety online.