Many parents are worried about what their kids are doing online -- and whether in the process they're breaking offline rules.
That said, acceptable behavior on the Internet is very much the same as acceptable behavior in everyday life offline. For instance, at an early age, children learn what it means to be honest and to respect the rights and property of others. On the Internet, the same basic rules apply. And cyber ethics are just like the offline rules parents establish for their kids.
Here are some helpful dos and don'ts you can use to coach your kids about following a cyber ethics code of conduct when surfing the web or using the Internet for research or entertainment:
1. Do use the Internet to help with schoolwork The Internet is the world's largest library. You can find information on almost any subject from science, math and technology to language, art, history, current events and more. When using online information, photos and other materials for your homework or research projects, make sure that you identify the sources of the information in footnotes just as you would if you used library books to get the same information.
2. Don't copy information from the Internet and call it your own Sometimes it's tempting to copy information from the Internet to complete a school assignment and to present the ideas, facts or writing as your own. However, this is called plagiarism and it's dishonest. Plagiarism is just like stealing someone else's jacket and calling it your own. And plagiarism can be illegal. Much of the information, pictures and other materials on the Internet are copyrighted, which means it legally belongs to someone else. If you take information or copy it without permission, or without identifying the source in a footnote in a school report, you are breaking the law.
3. Do use the Internet to find entertaining content There are many web sites where you can learn about music by listening to sample tracks, preview movie videos and learn about new computer games. It's important to follow the web site's rules for viewing, downloading or sharing this content.
4. Don't use the Internet to download or share copyrighted music, games or videos When something is copyrighted, it means that someone else owns it, and you can't copy or distribute it without that person or company's permission. It is dishonest and illegal to download copyrighted material such as music without permission or proper payment. It is also dishonest and illegal to share copyrighted music, video, games or other materials with friends or strangers over the Internet. When material is copyrighted, it will often include this symbol: (c).
5. Do use the Internet to communicate with friends and family Email and instant messaging (IM) are fun ways to communicate with your friends and your family. Always make sure that you know the people with whom you exchange email and IM.
6. Don't use the Internet to communicate with strangers Do not use email or IM to talk to strangers. People aren't always who they say they are. Don't give out your email or IM address to people you don't know well. Don't open email or IM attachments from people you don't know. Unsolicited email or IMs can contain viruses that will damage your computer and the information on it.
7. Don't pretend online to be someone else Just as you don't want others to hide their true identity when they contact you via email or IM, don't pretend to be someone else when you're online.
8. Don't be rude or use bad language When you use email or IM, be considerate of others. Don't be rude, mean or use explicit language. You wouldn't do that in real life, and you shouldn't do it on the Internet either.
9. Don't give anyone personal information or passwords Don't tell people, especially strangers, more about yourself than you would if you met them in person. Don't tell them your age, what you look like, where you live, your phone number, what school you go to, or any passwords that protect your computer or your private information.
As always, one key to making sure your kids are following your cyber ethics code is to not let them use the Internet unsupervised. Make sure you know what sites your children visit, and who they're communicating with online. There are web sites and programs available that direct children to sites that are fun, interesting and appropriate. And there are others that restrict their browsing to appropriate web sites. The best control, however, is parental involvement. Make sure they understand acceptable behavior on the Internet.
