Internet Safety

The Internet has opened up a world of possibility and opportunity, but it also poses a new set of challenges for parents and their children. This section of the website offers tips for parents and students, as well as links to other helpful websites so that we can ensure that Louisville's youth stay safe when using the Internet.

Parents and students looking for more information on how to stay safe on the Internet can visit these websites:

• Federal Trade Commission
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• U.S. Department of Justice
• Kentucky Attorney General

Top 10 Tips for Kids:

1. Don’t share your last name, phone number, address, birthday, or other personal information without a parent’s permission.
2. Tell your parents right away if you come across information or a person online that makes you scared or nervous.
3. Check with your parents before emailing or posting a picture on a website.
4. Assume that people you meet online aren’t telling the truth, even if they say they are.
5. “Cyber bullying” is illegal!  If you are threatened, teased, or taunted online, tell an adult.
6. Never meet an online friend in person without talking to a parent first.
7. Remember – what you read online isn’t always true!  If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
8. Show your parents which websites you enjoy visiting and tell them about any strangers you meet online.
9. Check out websites like www.fbi.gov, www.ftc.gov, and www.usdoj.gov for other ways you can protect yourself.
10. Trust your instincts!  If something doesn’t seem right or makes you feel uncomfortable, tell your parents.

Top 10 Tips for Parents:

1. Talk to kids about how and why they use the Internet, and monitor where they are surfing.
2. Keep your computer in a common room, and do not allow kids to use a webcam in their rooms.
3. Discourage children from posting photos or giving personal information in a chat room or website.
4. Urge children to report anything they see online that makes them scared or nervous.
5. Warn children about personally meeting any online contact.  If they do, they should tell a parent, go to a public place, and never go alone.
6. Record their user names and passwords, and remind children to always protect them.
7. Report messages that are suggestive or threatening.  “Cyber bullying” is illegal.
8. Tell kids that not everything they read online is true.  People online can and will misrepresent themselves.
9. Install the latest anti-virus and spyware programs to protect your computer and personal information.
10. Visit websites like www.onguardonline.gov, www.fbi.gov, www.ftc.gov, and www.usdoj.gov for more ways to protect your family.