Occasionally we get asked how safe the Internet is for children.  The answer is not straightforward as it depends on many factors:

There are various programmes that you can purchase that attempt to block websites containing pornography and other offensive material.  None of them are full-proof as this material can be presented to children in so many guises.

The current four leaders seem to be: CyberPatrol  NetNanny  CyberSitter and ContentProtect  The last one seems to win hands down in most people's reviews.

You can forget trying to use Microsoft's Content Advisor in Internet Explorer as it is prone to all sorts of problems.

Personally we have never used filtering programmes for our children.  The point is that they all have regular access to their friends' computers.  My view is that you need to guide them and inform them about the dangers of the Internet.  Pornography is not the only danger out on the Internet.  Here are some of the guidelines in a nutshell:

Take Care What You Say Online!
Many websites nowadays go beyond displaying a static online brochure. They now contain online discussion forums and interactive message boards and guestbooks. Whilst these can be really useful ways of sharing points of view, do remember that they are public. Children and Young People should be given the following suggested guidelines:

S - stay SAFE Use an alias - Never use your real name or give away any personal details (Age, Birthday, Location, School)

M- don't MEET up - Never agree to meet up - e.g. an invitation to "Come and share a pizza"

A - ACCEPTING Emails can be dangerous - Don't type your email address on a message board - You may be asked to use an email address to register as a double opt-in security measure - make sure you are given the option to hide it

R - Are they RELIABLE?  -  Is the website well known from a respected source e.g. CBBC etc.

T - TELL someone - Children should be taught to tell or ask about anything suspicious

Remember Message Boards are public and might not be moderated.  We run 4 Community Village websites that all have moderated message boards.  This means that submissions are not public until they have been checked by an administrator.  Unfortunately I have received personal threats via these (probably meant as a joke)

I would suggest the following additional guidelines for message boards:

Used properly, interactive message boards on community websites can be highly rewarding and very useful for resource investigation. People have found all sorts of interesting information for local history projects, ancestry, folklore and stories. Whilst the vast majority of internet users are a friendly and helpful bunch, always be aware that there is a minority that seek to capitalise on what information we share.