Coeur dAlene Police Department

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Coeur dAlene Police Department

• Tips for protecting your children and your
  computer on the Internet

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STEP 1 Understanding your computer and the
Internet
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STEP 1 Understanding your computer and the
Internet
Its important to understand that, unless you
obtain and/or enable a firewall, your computer is
open to unknown/unwanted incoming requests.
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STEP 2 Block access to inappropriate websites

• Obtain software which will limit the chances
  your child could access a website on the internet
  which is known to be inappropriate/illegal.
• Examples
• 1. NetNanny (www.netnanny.com)
• 2. Safe Families We-blocker
  (www.safefamilies.org)
• 3. Naomi (www.radiance.m6.net)

Remember All blocking software is not 100
foolproof!
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STEP 3 Install an Internet monitoring program

• Consider installing a web monitoring program,
  which would allow you to see what websites your
  computer viewed/attempted to view.
• Iambigbrother.com
• Cybersitter.com
• Guardiansoftware.com
• Covenant Eyes (covenanteyes.com)

NOTE If your computer has Windows Vista, there
should similar software already available!
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STEP 4 Pro-actively monitor your childrens
activities

• Keep track of your childrens usernames and/or
  passwords, then routinely login to check the
  content.
• Myspace consider creating your own Myspace
  account!
• Realize that many Instant messenging/chatting
  software has the ability to log everything typed
  and/or received VIEW THE LOGS.

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STEP 4 Pro-actively monitor your childrens
activities

• Consider a parent/child internet contract as a
  condition of your children being allowed to use
  your computer.

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STEP 5 Consider local control on your computer

• Most versions of Windows allows for each family
  member to have their own login account. As the
  parent (and administrator), you have the ability
  to control what each child can and/or cannot do!

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STEP 6 Use the internet for additional resources

• Use search engines like GOOGLE, YAHOO, MSN SEARCH
  to find additional information on this topic.
• Additional sites
• FBI (fbi.gov)
• Americas Most Wanted (amw.com)
• Love Our Children USA (loveourchildrenusa.org)
• Safe Kids (safekids.com)

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QUESTIONS?