Surfing on the Internet can be fun and provide great learning opportunities. Know how the internet works. Learn what is legitimate and what to question.

Safe Surfing:

Sign an Internet family contract and establish rules together. Ensure the rules extend to cell phones and internet use away from home.
Encourage your kids to share their online experiences. Surf with them, while explaining what is and is not appropriate.
Select a family friendly Internet Service Provider, one that offers and supports parental controls and acts promptly to reports of on-line abuse.
Customize your computer's home page with a family friendly search engine. If using Google, create additional blocks and filters by clicking 'preferences' on the Google home page.
Be specific in your searches to reduce risk of viewing undesirable sites. Use advance searching techniques by adding "booleans," words like "and, or & not."
Add approved sites to "favorites". Encourage your family to use these to access web sites.
Invest in an anti-virus program, a firewall, a Spam blocker and antispyware technology. Keep these updated to be sure they continue to do their job as new technologies evolve.
Place computers in a high traffic room. Establish rules for web camera use.
Teach your family that plagiarism is cheating. Pirating music, software and games is stealing.
Remain as anonymous as possible when on the Internet. Never give out your address, phone number, school name or other
personal information. Limit data you give out in contests and surveys.
Become an advocate. Report inappropriate, frightening or criminal behavior.
Encourage your family to use several sources of information, in addition to the Internet.