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Sree's Thoughts on Keeping Your Kids Safe Online Five Things You Can Do Thursday, Jan. 25, 2001
Did you get your kids a new computer for the holidays? And are they already ahead of you in knowing what to do with it? A new study shows that about 70 percent of homes with children have a computer and more than half have Internet access - up from just 15 percent five years ago. Of course, you probably have questions about how to keep your kids safe while they use the World Wide Web. Here are some things you can do: KEEP THE PC IN THE OPEN Always have the computer in the open. Don't keep it locked in your child's bedroom - 20 percent of kids have PCs in their bedrooms. And don't be secretive yourself. Set a good example! NO PERSONAL INFORMATION Teach your kids to never give out any personal info -- no addresses, neighborhoods, street details, and, especially, no names of their schools. If your kids are asked questions or see things that make them uncomfortable, they should come get you. DRAW UP A "CONTRACT" Negotiate a contract with "rules of the road" for PC use. There are plenty of samples online to help you negotiate this with your kids. GET EDUCATED, GET ONLINE Teach yourself to use the tools your kids use; surf together; sign up for chatrooms, get on instant messaging software. USE HELPFUL TOOLS Various tech items can help you: Filtering software: Net Nanny Kids browsers: Surf Monkey Kid-friendly service providers: Mayberry USA Online safety guides: GetNetWise.org, CyberAngels.com *Send your ideas for coverage -- and feedback: techguru@sree.net*		Sree's Site of The Week http://www.superbowl-ads.com It's Superbowl week, and there are plenty of places to get info on the big game. But here's something unusual: a place to "study" the ads that are almost as big an attraction as the game itself. Here's why I picked this as my "Site of the Week"... You can read news about the ads You can find links to archives of many of famous old ads See all videos of the ads from last year's game Vote for your favorite ads from this year's game And more...