Play Safe Online………..

It is really important to understand when you go online and play games or talk with your friends, that there are some bad people that spend all their time trying to trick kids into trusting them.

When ever you go on the Internet it is really important that you NEVER tell anyone your full name, address, phone number or any other information about yourself that might help a bad person find you, your family or friends. For example you might be talking to a new friend who tells you about where he goes to school, you might think it would be ok to tell them about your school, but if the person you are talking to is a bad person pretending to be a kid your age, they can then use the location of your school to find you.

The best way to keep those bad people away is to make sure that you only talk and hang out with your mates. Don’t talk to people you don’t know. Talk to your friends at school and find out their online names, so when they ask to join your friend list you will know who they are. If you should find that some how a stranger has found their way into your circle of friends, don’t be afraid to use the block or ignore feature, those people can no longer bother you once they have been blocked.

Never send any personal information or photos over the internet. Bad people have many ways of getting information from the Internet and from other people’s computers using very sneaky software programs that can be hidden onto your computer when you go to a new website or receive an email.

Talk to someone if you notice anything unusual happening to your computer, or website and especially if you feel that someone is harassing you or making you feel uncomfortable. Talk to Mum, Dad, Nan, Pop, Uncle or Aunty about anything that you might be worried about. If your family are not very good with computers go to your computer teacher or maybe your Librarian or Principal for some help. There is always someone you can talk to.

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Hello world!

Ever since the kids in my family started to use the Internet I have been concerned about their safety while online. I am a Designer/Programmer and Artist/Illustrator. I completed my Bachelor of Multimedia at Griffith in 2006. However my experience in computers goes way back to 80’s when I first started using an Apple computer at High school. Back then you had to use a Basic, a programming language to get your computer to do what you wanted. I also have a Diploma in Systems Administration, and still enjoy rebuilding computers for friends and the needy.

So as you can see, I have a pretty good understanding of the computer world, however many Parents and Carers in Australia have limited skills and experience when it comes to computers. So if I am nervous when my kids use the Internet with all my experience and training, it must be very hard for parents without any prior knowledge.

As Parents we have learnt to accept that the Internet is a very important learning tool for our children, but it is also a somewhat alien world for many, and there are dangers to watch out for. With the help of my ten year old Daughter, nine year old niece and my five, eleven, and thirteen year old nephews, we hope to develop some helpful information for both kids and parents, that will address concerns about keeping our Kids Safe Online.

I had recently started this blog with Blogger but soon discovered that all my links were made to open unsolicited Spam Advertising. Every time I clicked on one of my links it would take me to the link but it would also start up a full page, pop up, advertisement. I had no control over what advertisements were being displayed and since I was making a children’s site I certainly didn’t want any of my young viewers to have an inappropriate Spam Advertisement open when they where trying to learn how to stay safe from such things.

Should I have any ongoing problems like this I will simply buy my own hosting and post the site myself, but until then I hope you can find some useful information to keep you or your child safe online.