Now we all have heard horrific stories about sexual predators preying on our kids online. Facts like this make it scary for parents and teachers to feel comfortable with social networking sites. It's extremely important and our responsibility as adults to provide safety measures to kids when using the internet.

• Ask questions (find out what the kids are doing online and confirm if they are telling the truth)
• View their profile page (make sure personal information or provocative pictures are not posted on the child's webpage)
• Inform them that not everyone's profile is true (so that cute boy or girl can be an old creep, so they should only talk to who they know)
• Make their page private (so only the child's friends can view their webpage)
• Be aware of what kids are posting (cyberbullying is serious and has deadly consequences)

For more information on how to protect your kids or students, visit www.wiredsafety.org

Let's remember that kids may seem technologically advanced but we have life experience that make us an expert on their well-being.

Related links:

• A Safety Net for the Internet: A Parent's Guide
• Internet Safety Tips for Children and Teens