How Can I Ensure My Teen's Safety on the Internet?

My 15-year-old daughter uses the Internet for several hours each day after school before I get home from work. How can I make sure that she is safe?
– Ben

The Internet is a vast source of information — some good and some bad. If your teen learns to use it wisely, she can be safe while she uses the Internet for all the resources it has to offer. By limiting screen time to 2 hours a day and placing the family computer in a common area, not in an individual bedroom, you can keep an eye on both the computer and your child.

Encourage your teen to follow simple precautions, such as remaining anonymous at all times (this includes chat rooms); never disclosing private information, such as her address, phone number, school name, and credit card numbers; and never agreeing to meet someone she has met in a chat room in person.

Parental controls and filtering software also can help you protect your daughter from online predators and inappropriate adult content. Most important, talk to her about the dangers of interacting with strangers online and remind her that people online often don't tell the truth.

Reviewed by: Steven Dowshen, MD
Date reviewed: February 2010

Related Resources

NSTeens This site for teens offers advice on topics like online safety, social networking, and cyberbullying.

Netsmartz Kids Through games and activities, this site helps kids understand how to stay safe online, especially when communicating via instant messaging and social networking sites.

SafeTeens.com SafeTeens.com offers information about Internet safety and homework help for teens.

i-SAFE America i-SAFE teaches kids and teens how to be safe on the Internet.

Cyberangels Cyberangels.org is an Internet safety organization that seeks to address the concerns of parents, the needs of children, on-line abuse and cyber crime.

WiredSafety This online safety group provides help, information, and education to mobile device users of all ages. The site covers everything from identity theft to cyberbullying.

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How Can I Protect My Child From Strangers Online? Find out what the experts have to say.

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