Internet Safety

Disney Privacy Center

Ask Questions

The best way to know what your child is doing online is to ask. Whether you ask other parents, an Internet-savvy friend, or your child about how they use the Internet asking the right questions will help you understand what your child is doing online so you can make sure they are making safe online choices.

Questions to ask your child:

• What sites do you visit?
• What do you do on those sites?
• Why do you go to that site?
• How much time do you spend on the site?
• Did you have to register?
• What information did they ask for?
• What information did you give?

Basic Internet Safety

The Internet has drastically changed the way that children interact with the world. They have access to in-depth knowledge, tools to express their creativity, and people from all over the world. Yet along with offering a fascinating, new way to connect with the world, the Internet also offers new risks

• Cyberbullying
• Exposure to inappropriate material
• Online predators
• Revealing too much personal information

Learning to recognize the warning signs of these risks will allow trusted adults to intervene and lessen potential negative impacts. By acting as a resource, parents and guardians can help make the Internet a safer place for their families. As a parent or guardian, you should stay well-informed about current issues to understand what your children are experiencing on and off the Internet. If they are social networking, instant messaging, using webcams, or blogging, help them use these tools safely by learning how to use them yourself. Children whose parents and guardians regularly talk to them about personal safety are more likely to exhibit responsible behavior on their own. NetSmartz invites you to learn about the issues surrounding your children’s online lives. Then use the discussion starters to help you begin a dialogue about safety with your children.

[ 1 ] Cox Communications Inc. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® and John Walsh. Teen Internet Safety Survey, Wave II. Atlanta: Cox Communications Inc., 2007.