Internet Safety for Families Guidelines

When you go on line: Stop, Think, Connect

Close pop ups
Windows PC: Alt F4
Mac: Command w

Stranger Danger

• Don’t chat online or exchange ANY information with strangers (not even your e-mail address)
• Don’t accept online “friends” that you don’t know and trust in real life
• Don’t post personal information online (like where you go to school, where and when you play afterschool sports, other activities, etc.)
• Don’t leave your mobile devices where others can access them
• Don’tshare passwords with ANYONE (games, email accounts, logins)
• Don’t meet with someone you met online.

What you post on line will stay there FOREVER, even if you try to delete it!

Cyber bullying

Stop correspondence
Block the person
Tell an adult

Microsoft Family Safety is a fantastic free tool which allows you to either create a whitelist (only sites you want them to be able to visit) or a blacklist (allow all except the list you specify) or various other levels :

Allow list only

Only allows websites that a parent has added to the Allow list.

Designed for children

Also allows websites designed specifically for children. Blocks adult sites.

General interest

Also allows general-interest websites. Blocks adult sites.

Online communication (basic)

Also allows social networking, web chat, and web mail. Blocks adult sites.

Warn on adult

Allows all websites but shows a warning when a site contains suspected adult content.

You can set up on each Windows PC and for each child.

You can also set up time limits for children.

If a child clicks a link, you can set it up so that an email goes to the parent. The parent receives this email and can Allow/Block - very handy if the parent happens to be in work (we have an au pair - would never have children at home on their own!).

Parents also get a weekly report.

Being Microsoft, this obviously only applies to Windows PC's. It also can work on Windows Tablets and I need to check further whether it works on Windows phones. But, on the Windows tablets, it can block/allow based on the age rating of apps/games.