ACEI Speaks
Safety in the Cybervillage:
Some Guidelines for Teachers and Parents
By Larry L. Burriss
Recent stories about the Internet in newspapers, and on radio and television, have emphasized the dangers the Internet may pose to children. We have seen stories of suicides, kidnappings
and abuse that have occurred after children have accessed E-mail, chat rooms and Web sites. Just how frightened should teachers and parents be, and is there anything that can be done to
prevent children from becoming victims of those who lurk in the dark corners of the Cybervillage?
Ultimately, the Internet is not controlled by the government. It is not controlled by big business. It is not controlled by Internet service providers. The Internet is controlled by YOU, the parents
and teachers who have this marvelous resource in your homes and classrooms.
So what can you do to make sure your children and students are safe on the Internet? Quite a bit. Here are seven basic rules to follow as you travel around the Cybervillage:
- Treat the Cybervillage as you would any other community or neighborhood.
- Learn how the Internet works.
- Learn what to stay away from on the Internet.
- Learn where the "good stuff" is.
- Work with your students and children.
- Learn some common sense techniques that promote Internet safety.
- Respond, do not react.
Treat the Cybervillage As You Would Your Own Neighborhood
Do your know where your kids are? What do you know about the older teenager down the street? Who is your child talking to on the phone? Do you drop your 6-year-old off at the mall? Your 10-year-old? Your 17-year-old?
We teach our students and children all sorts of rules about being safe in the real world, and we need to teach the same rules for the virtual world. As parents, we check out the new neighbors before we let our kids visit. We have rules about where to go in the mall. We establish rules about phone use. The same principles apply to the Cybervillage.
Learn How the Internet Works
It may be very embarrassing to ask a 7-year-old how to use an Internet browser (you do know what that is, donŐt you?). So read a couple of books to find out how things work. Or better yet, go to the Internet itself to find out. It is better to ask and be embarrassed, than not to ask and regret it later.
Learn What To Stay Away From, and Learn Where the "Good Stuff" Is
Spend some time exploring what is "out there." Learn to use search tools such as Yahoo or
AltaVista, then make a list of sites that are particularly fun or educational. Remember, most
television channels or programs such as Discovery, A&E and the Children's Television
Workshop have Web sites that link to other useful sites. So do most major news organizations.
What Can Children Do To Protect Themselves ?
The American Library Association's Five Basic Rules for Internet Safety for children are:
- Never give your name, address, phone number or school name to anyone you meet online.
- Never go into a new online area that will cost extra without asking your parents' permission.
- Never give out a credit card number online.
- Never arrange to meet in person with someone you have met online unless you discuss it with your parents and an adult goes with you to a very public place.
- Always tell your parents or other adult you trust if you see something online that is scary or that you do not understand.
It Just Takes Some Common Sense
Here are some commonsense rules to make your trip through the Cybervillage safer and more
pleasant:
- Set up the computer with the monitor facing into the room so that you, the parent, can see it.
- Set up the computer in a "family" or high-traffic area.
- Every Internet browser has a "history" file that shows what sites have been visited and the time of access. Set this file to keep the history for several days and check it periodically. If the file has been erased, ask why (a good family rule: only Mom or Dad is allowed to erase the history file. Violations will result in loss of computer privileges).
- Learn how to use the Internet yourself.
- Make Internet use a family activity.
What About Blocking Software?
Several programs are available that will block access to certain sites. Some software has a
preselected list of "banned" words, while other programs allow you to enter words in a list. For
example, you might choose to block all sites that contain the word "sex."
Be aware that you can inadvertently block "good" sites. One software program blocked sites
that contained the word "naked." Unfortunately, it also blocked astronomy sites that
contained phrases such as, "You can see Mars with the naked eye."
Internet searches can have unintended consequences. A search for "eruption" not only yielded
information about volcanoes, Finland and Old Faithful, but also links to sexually explicit sites.
Do Not React-Respond
What do you do if, despite your best efforts, you find your child has visited an inappropriate
site (sexual content, violence, hate subjects, etc.)? The rule is, "Do not react-respond."
Find out why your child was there and what his impressions were. Go back to the site and
discuss the content. Explain why the site is inappropriate. This can be an opportunity to talk
with your children about race relations, sexual harassment, anti-Semitism, prejudice, etc.
Useful Sites To Check Out
AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
http://www.ssdesign.com/parentspage/greatsites/
Links to materials for both teachers and students. Includes "50 Great Sites for Parents and
Kids."
THE DIRECT MARKETING ASSOCIATION
http://www.the-dma.org
Search under parents to Consumer Information for Families. Has
general information about the Internet, the World Wide Web and suggestions for keeping children safe in the Cybervillage.
KIDPUB
http://www.kidpub.org/kidpub/
Thousands of short stories written by kids of all ages. Schools can also participate.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
http://inet.ed.gov/
Education resources from the federal government.
YAHOO
http://www.yahoo.com/Education
This site has links to thousands of resources for teachers at all grade levels and for any imaginable subject. Look here first for resources.
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This page is copyright 
1998 by the Association for Childhood Education International. Please send any comments to Marilyn Gardner at aceihq@aol.com.