A parents' guide to safer surfing

The internet can be a wonderful tool for learning and expanding one's horizons. It is also a hazardous place for children and teenagers to go unsupervised.

The Internet Watch Foundation, which monitors and tackles illegal and offensive content in the UK, divides the dangers of the internet into three:

¤ Contact - letting online contact lead to a meeting in the real world with someone who is not what they pretended to be and who poses a real physical threat.

¤ Content - whether legal or illegal, there are some sorts of content that might harm younger users or offend the values and standards that parents want to apply to their children's development.

¤ Commerce - with the growth of e-commerce there are increasing concerns that people may be exploited by dubious marketing practices or simply cheated out of their money.

The IWF advises parents to first of all learn as much as they can about the internet themselves.

Surfing should be turned into a family activity, with the computer kept in a room where the whole family can use it. That way, an eye can be kept on the sites that are being used and any problems discussed. Filtering tools can help.

Parents should get to know who their children are meeting online, make sure they do not trust strangers and never give out any personal information about themselves.

Parents should also teach children not to open e-mails and attachments or download files other than from people they know and trust outside. Unsolicited "gifts" can contain offensive or potentially harmful files such as pornography or viruses.

Another piece of advice is to be careful when children (and parents) are shopping online. Credit card details should only be given to bona fide companies. It is also important to limit the amount of time children spend online, lest they get hooked and lose interest in other activities and friendships.

Finally, just as one would look out for good TV programmes, parents should take advantage of some of the brilliant resources that are out there, which help children discover, create and connect with other children worldwide.

For more details go to: www.iwf.org.uk/safe_surfing/