Cyber-safety

Over half of all Canadians now have access to the Internet. As of March 30, 1999, all public schools and libraries in Canada were connected to the Internet. Canada was the first nation in the world to accomplish this.

Gathering information (often for school), playing games, participating in chat rooms and posting to online message boards are popular activities for young Web surfers.

The Internet has brought many benefits, but it has also raised some safety concerns such as the potential for crime and predators. To make sure children have a safe and rewarding experience on the Web, parents and educators must understand where they go, what they do and the safety issues they may face.

The Canada Safety Council recommends that children who use the Internet follow these rules.

Online Safety Rules

• I will not give out any personal information online without my parents' permission. This includes my name, phone number, address, e-mail, location of my school, my parents' work address/ telephone numbers and credit card numbers, and my picture. This goes for anywhere on the Internet, including e-mail, chat rooms, newsgroups - even Web sites that promise me free stuff or prizes, or on Web pages that I make myself.
  
  
• When using the Internet, I will always use a pretend name or nickname that doesn't reveal whether I'm a boy or a girl.
  
  
• When creating a password, I will make one up that is hard to guess but easy for me to remember. To avoid having it stolen, I will never reveal it to anyone (except my parents) - not even my best friend.
  
  
• I will not respond to any message that makes me uncomfortable. I will show an adult right away.
  
  
• I will arrange to meet a friend I have made on the Internet ONLY if one of my parents has been informed and will be present.
  
  
• I will not send an insulting or rude message to anyone online. This is called "flaming" and it is not good Netiquette.
  
  
• I will not disable any filtering software my parents have put on the computer.
  
  
• I will not open e-mail, files, links, pictures or games from people that I don't know or trust. I will always ask an adult first.
  
  
• I will not take words, pictures or sounds from someone else's Web site without their permission.
  
  
• I will not believe everything I read on the Internet. I will always check the source of the information and confirm it with my teacher, parent or librarian.

Source: Media Awareness Network