For more age by age tips on how to keeps kids safe online, visit
www.commonsense.org or
www.missingkids.org/netsmartz
Limit usage. Permit your child to have free online time (i.e.: 30 minutes right after school) to instant-message friends, play games, or visit social networking sites, but make it a rule that family time starts with dinner. After that, the computer is used for homework and it's an IM-free zone.
Keep kids in sight. Have the computer centrally located. Your child is less likely to browse questionable content if she knows Mom or Dad (or her brother or sister) might walk by at any second. This helps you monitor time spent online, chosen activities, and resultant behavior.
Do your homework. Check browser history to know where your child goes online and check the sites regularly. Use security tools and privacy features — whether offered by your browser or Internet service provider or purchased separately — for extra protection.
Know who your child talks to online. Review her buddy list: does she really know everyone, or are some buddies "friends of friends"? Have her remove anyone she hasn't met in person.
Tell him not to exchange personal information like a phone number, address, best friend's name, or picture. One out of every five kids get sexual solicitations online. Strangers, predators, and cyber-bullies all target children, and their work is simplified when screen names reveal age, gender, or hometown. If posts aren't marked as private, personal information can be displayed to an unrestricted audience of readers.
Gaming-safely
Internet Safety at Home
Social Media Safety for Teens
Protecting Your Kids Online