How should children be protected online?

I believe that the Internet can affect children positively and negatively. There
are some common guidelines for keeping your kids safe.
The first recommendation is keep your eyes on your wee Web explorers at
all times. Yes, this means sitting directly next to or near your child each and every
time he navigates the jungle otherwise known as the Internet.
The second recommendation is, take advantage of your browser's parental
controls. The majority of Internet browsers have an Internet options folder where
you can easily set up security safeguards and content filters for language, nudity,
sex, and violence. Or skip the filter fiddling and only allow your kids to use
squeaky clean browsers created just for kids.
Next step, set up family computer rules. The needs, age, development,
character, and maturity of each child should be taken into account as you set up
guidelines for computer use. Some children shouldn’t be on the computer at all
because they aren’t responsible enough to handle it. Computer addiction can start
very young so setting firm limits is essential for balance in a child’s life. Set up
appropriate boundaries for your children and a system for monitoring them. Some
computer safety programs have built-in timers that allow parents to set limits on a
child’s computer time. Be ready to adjust the boundaries and guidelines based on a
number of factors.
Conclusion, you need to explain to children the information available why
you need to adhere to the rules of confidentiality. Parents will be helped by
programs that will filter information for their children.