Commentary
By Rep. Geoff Davis
Through the Internet, kids can access online educational resources from some of our nation’s greatest institutions, like the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Museums. The Internet also helps kids with homework and research projects, provides them with instant information about community events and local activities, and connects them with friends around the world. While the Internet is a valuable tool in our children’s lives, as parents, we must be conscious of its potential dangers.
As a father of six, I know well the challenges parents face when trying to keep our kids safe online. With the evolution of social networking sites, e-mail and instant messaging, it can be difficult to know the true identities of your child’s online friends. A 2007 study by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children states that 71 percent of teens have a personal profile on a social networking site like Facebook or MySpace. Nearly 35 percent of teens post their real names, phone numbers, and school information on these networking sites. This can leave them open to uninitiated and inappropriate online or in-person contact from strangers.
Teens can also face consequences at school or work for posting inappropriate content online. A good rule of thumb is if they do not want the content on the front page of the local paper, it should not be online. Most social networking sites have privacy settings that can safeguard personal information and block people they do not know from viewing their personal profiles. Also, parents should monitor their teen’s profiles to ensure all content is appropriate. Most importantly, parents should encourage kids to talk with them if they ever feel uncomfortable with anything they have seen or received online. Just like many parenting challenges, an open and honest dialogue with our children is essential to keeping them safe. For more information about protecting your teens online, visit
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/tech/tec14.shtm.
Younger children also face safety issues on the Internet. Although they may not be socializing online, they can accidentally come across adult images, or violent, racist or false information. As with teenagers, communication is the key to remaining well-informed about our kids’ online activity. Parents should spend time helping kids navigate the Internet and finding kid-friendly websites and search engines. Parents may also consider installing website filters to prevent kids from inadvertently accessing unsuitable websites. The American Library Association has compiled a database of some of the best children’s educational websites that you can view at
http://www.ala.org/gwstemplate.cfm?section=greatwebsites&template=/cfapps/gws/default.cfm.
Given the expanding influence of the Internet, it is important we increase our efforts to educate young people on how to use it properly and avoid any potential dangers. For this reason, I am pleased to be a co-sponsor of the Student Internet Safety Act (H.R. 780). This legislation would allow schools to use existing federal grant programs to develop and expand educational programs that promote safe Internet use by students. These programs would teach students about appropriate online behavior, such as chat room and social networking website use; protect them from online predators, bullies, and unwanted exposure to inappropriate material; and promote the involvement of parents in Internet usage by their children.
The Student Internet Safety Act will provide our schools with the tools they need to make sure our children will have safer experiences on the Internet. For more information on how you can educate yourself and your kids about Internet safety, please visit the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s free online publication A Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety at
http://www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee.htm.
For more great online resources, visit my new website, which includes an improved Student Corner with information for kids, parents and teachers (
http://www.GeoffDavis.house.gov/Kids/).
Rep. Geoff Davis, R-Hebron, represents Kentucky's Fourth Congressional District.
