and the Alabama Department of Children's Affairs.
Parents/Guardians teach children to not talk to strangers, to avoid confrontational situations, to behave properly. “Look both ways before crossing the street, check all vehicle mirrors before driving a vehicle, ask for permission before borrowing an item, be home by 10pm and leave a note indicating where you will be after school, don’t take candy from strangers” all of these statements are familiar to adults and children alike.
However, how often have we discussed online safety? Have we informed our children of the dangers of the Internet? How do our children participate in the Internet? Very simply, are our children safely engaging in online activities – are traditional values applicable to the electronic world?
The open design and free-flow of information through the Internet is an intentional design. The open architecture facilitates unfettered access to abundant sources of information. The Internet offers a wealth of resources – educational tools, communications, entertainment, news, shopping, travel, etc. The benefits of the Internet are tremendous and overwhelming.
Yet, risks abound as well. We endeavor to offer assistance for the protection of our children in Cyberspace. A collection of checklists, best practices and tools are presented. We hope the instruments will prove beneficial and assistive.