Its recommended that you keep the computer in a common room in your house rather than your child's room since it is more difficult for a dangerous stranger to communicate with your child with the screen visible to everyone in the house. According to the FBI's A Parent's Guide to Internet Safety , computer-sex offenders almost always meet their potential victims through chat rooms. My first suggestion would be to talk frankly with your child about victimization in general and the potential online danger specifically. Also, visit the CyberAngels . Just as it is important to educate your child about not giving out personal information to someone in a chat session, talk with her about other situations in which she maybe asked for personal information.
Some sites ask for the user's full name, address, and phone number on a registration page.
Instruct you child to get permission from you before filling out registration forms. Be aware that some individuals may ask your child for family information such as credit card numbers and parent's place of employment. Teach your child to never give out any family information to anyone online without your permission. Equally important, teach your child not to send anyone her picture without getting permission first from you. Check out the comprehensive summary of features and reviews of Parental Filtering Utilities at PC Magazine Online for more information about these products.