Watch for your child spending extended lengths of time at the computer, especially during the evening hours.
Put the family computer in places such as a den or family room, but NEVER in the child’s room.
Read unfamiliar E-mail that your child may receive.
Don’t let your child have an online profile, so he/she will not be listed in directories and are less likely to be approached in children’s chat rooms.
Tell your child to never respond to rude or offensive E-mail, messages, or postings.
Never allow face-to-face meetings with computer friends, unless parentally supervised.
Encourage your child to report suggestive, obscene, or treating E-mail or bulletin board messages.
If someone sends you or your children messages or images that are indecent, lewd, or obscene with intent to abuse, annoy, harass, or threaten you, or if you become aware of the transmission, use, or viewing of pornographic images of children while online, immediately report this to NCMEC’s (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children) CyberTipline at 1-800-843-5678, www.cybertipline.com and the Eureka Police Department at 636-938-6600.