Chat Rooms

How can I make it safer?

Explain to children that online chatting needs to be adult-supervised. Don't allow children to communicate in unregulated chat rooms.
Know children's login information and email addresses. What username or character names has the child given her/himself? Does it provide identifying characteristics about her/him or her/his hobbies (e.g. shygirl, bookworm, etc.)?
Monitor children’s webcam use and any posting or exchanging of pictures online.
There should be a time every evening where all technology is shut down. For children with laptops with built-in webcams in their room, either remove the laptop from the room or make sure the laptop is closed.

Discuss with children how the Internet is a public place.
Explain to children that pictures should not be sent or posted online without parental permission. Once sent, control over what happens to the pictures is lost.
Reinforce the idea that not everyone is who they say they are online. People can pretend to be older or younger than they actually are.
Explain to children that they should trust their instincts and block or ignore someone if the individual is asking questions online that seem "weird" (i.e. questions about puberty, sex, etc.).
Talk about friendship: what it is and isn't.
Explain to children that it's illegal to threaten someone, and that they should tell a safe adult if threatened online.