Using telecommunications is a simple and convenient way to stay connected to people that matter most to you. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when using telecommunications…. Good Manners do matter. Always be polite. The other person may not be able to see you, but they can still form a first impression of you by how you speak to them.

• Take careful messages. Have something to write with and paper near your telephone.

• Never give out information over the telephone such as your name, home address, or school name without first checking with your parent/guardian. If they are not available, just take a message.

• Do not arrange to meet with anyone over the telephone you do not know. If someone tries to arrange a meeting with you, hang-up and tell a parent/guardian or other adult you trust right away.

• Do not tell anyone that you are alone or that an adult is not in the house. Just say that you will take a message.

• Use 911 in emergency situations ONLY! Always report life threatening situations such as fire, someone breaking in your home, heart attacks, etc. 911 is meant to help people that really need help. False alarms take firefighters and police away from people who really do need assistance.

• Crank calls are harmful to other people. Don’t make them!

• Hang up on telephone calls that make you feel uncomfortable or are scary. And then...tell a parent/guardian or other trusted adult right away!

• The telephone is a pretty safe device to use. However, there are times when the telecommunications company recommends that you should never use it such as in the bath tub, shower, swimming pool, and during an electrical storm. You risk getting an electrical shock. Also, if there is a gas leak, report the leak right away BUT use the telephone away from the leak because the equipment could ignite a spark and cause a fire or explosion.

ONLINE SAFETY TIPS

• Keep your personal information private including your name, phone number, passwords, social security and credit card numbers.

• Never agree to let children meet someone in person who they have met online.

• Don’t share photos of yourself with strangers.

• Keep the computer your child uses in a central location.

• Join children as they surf the Internet.

• Install anti-virus software on your computer.

• Remember, not everyone on the Web is who they say they are.

By taking responsibility for your children's online computer use, parents can greatly minimize any potential risks of being online. Make it a family rule to:

• Never give out identifying information-- home address, school name, or telephone number-- in a public message such as chat or bulletin boards, and be sure you're dealing with someone that both you and your child know and trust before giving it out via E-mail. Think carefully before revealing any personal information such as age, marital status, or financial information.

• Get to know the services your child uses. If you don't know how to log on, get your child to show you. Find out what types of information it offers and whether there are ways for parents to block out objectionable material.

• Never allow a child to arrange a face-to-face meeting with another computer user without parental permission. If a meeting is arranged, make the first one in a public spot, and be sure to accompany your child.

• Never respond to messages or bulletin board items that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, threatening, or make you feel uncomfortable. Encourage your children to tell you if they encounter such messages. If you or your child receives a message that is harassing, of a sexual nature, or threatening, forward a copy of the message to your service provider and ask for their assistance.

• If a meeting is arranged, make the first one in a public spot.

• Should you become aware of the transmission, use, or viewing of child pornography while online, immediately report this to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-843-5678 or visiting the CyberTipLine online. You should also notify your online service.

• Remember that people online may not be who they seem. Because you can't see or even hear the person it would be easy for someone to misrepresent him or herself. Thus, someone indicating that "she" is a "12-year-old girl" could in reality be a 40-year-old man.

• Remember that everything you read online may not be true. Any offer that's "too good to be true" probably is. Be very careful about any offers that involve your coming to a meeting or having someone visit your house.

• Set reasonable rules and guidelines for computer use for your children (see "Kids Rules for Online Safety"). Discuss these rules and post them near the computer as a reminder. Remember to monitor their compliance with these rules, especially when it comes to the amount of time your children spend on the computer. A child or teenager's excessive use of online services or bulletin boards, especially late at night, may be a clue that there is a potential problem. Remember that personal computers and online services should not be used as electronic babysitters.

• Be sure to make this a family activity. Consider keeping the computer in a family room rather than the child's bedroom. Get to know their "online friends" just as you get to know all of their other friends.

Family Contract for Online Safety

Kids' Pledge

1. I will not give out personal information such as my address, telephone number, parents’ work address/telephone number, or the name and location of my school without my parents’ permission.

2. I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable.

3. I will never agree to get together with someone I "meet" online without first checking with my parents. If my parents agree to the meeting, I will be sure that it is in a public place and bring my mother or father along.

4. I will never send a person my picture or anything else without first checking with my parents.

5. I will not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way make me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If I do I will tell my parents right away so that they can contact the service provider.

6. I will talk with my parents so that we can set up rules for going online. We will decide upon the time of day that I can be online, the length of time I can be online, and appropriate areas for me to visit. I will not access other areas or break these rules without their permission.

7. I will not give out my Internet password to anyone (even my best friends) other than my parents.

8. I will be a good online citizen and not do anything that hurts other people or is against the law.

I agree to the above

______________________________________

Child sign here

I will help my child follow this agreement and will allow reasonable use of the Internet as long as these rules and other family rules are followed.

_____________________________________

Parent(s) sign here