Top 10 tips for keeping kids safe online

		Communicate with your children. It is important to speak truthfully with your kids about inappropriate Web content such as pornographic spam emails. Encourage them to confide in you when they see improper message or images.
		Know your kids' online habits. Monitor your children's Internet activities, including instant messaging, emails, music downloads and online gaming.
		Teach your children never to give out personal information while surfing on the Internet. Malicious marketers target kids for private information such as their name, address, phone and shopping preferences.
		Put the computer in the family room and surf the Internet with your children. Install parental control software to provide extra reassurance that your kids will be protected from cyber predators.
		Maintain trust from your children. Overprotecting your kids may convey the idea that you don't trust them. Make sure they understand your reasons for watching over them so they in turn are willing to discuss Internet issues openly with you.
		Know your kids' friends. Even if you restrict your children's Internet access at home, they may still be able to log on from places where you can't keep tabs on them. Talk to the parents of your children's friends and work with them to provide a safe surfing environment for youngsters.
		Protect your children's passwords and create generic names. Make sure your kids don't have screen names or aliases that reveal their personal information, including their full name, age, gender, etc.
		Spurn spam. Install spam-filtering software such as antivirus or Internet security software to protect your kids from receiving offensive spam emails.
		Instruct your children never to share pictures of themselves or the family with people they meet online.
		Educate your children never to talk to strangers online in chat rooms or while gaming. If a stranger starts asking your kids questions like how old they are, can they send a photo of themselves, where do they live, can they meet them, or if the language/topic is what you'd consider improper, teach them to log off and let you know at once.