IT staff members offer tips to keep kids safe online

Parents need to be the “online hall monitors” when their children are surfing the Web. Staff members from Information Technology delivered that message during a presentation to Grand Valley fathers of young children.

Jayne Dissette and Katie Clark met with “What Daddies Do Best,” a group of fathers who meet regularly throughout the year to discuss the joys and challenges of parenting. The group is facilitated by Work Life Connections and the Children’s Enrichment Center.

Dissette said the computers or laptops in the home should be kept in the living room, where activity can be monitored. “You should talk to your kids about online safety, especially when they’re using social networks like MySpace and Facebook,” she said.

Clark suggested installing parental control computer programs like K9 Web Protection or NetNanny that can block inappropriate content.

They also said smart phones pose a danger and that parents should tell their children to avoid communicating with strangers through social networks, instant messaging programs or online games.

Dissette and Clark created a podcast of their presentation. It is free and available on Grand Valley’s iTunesU website; visit www.gvsu.edu/itunes and search for “Information Technology.”