Internet Predators and Security!!

Internet safety is a big topic these days. We hear about it through the media and from kids' teachers;The goal of this week's column is to provide you with resources you can use to ensure that you have the tools you need to keep You and your kids safe.
Everyone is doing it: The Internet
IT may seem impossible to control how your kids are using the Internet, it's really not.
Let's Talk about "Internet safety."
Internet safety: Microsoft resources
I found links to resources that can help you ensure the safety and security of your kids online. I've pulled out these to highlight today, this one has links to many other sites as well. A guide to your child's safe use of the internet.
You would not let a 2 year old go to the Mall alone would you? OR allow your 11 year old to go to visit a NEW "friend" at their house who you knew nothing about and had never met. Your not even sure what age the "NEW Friend" is or what sex. You have no idea where the friend lives either. It could be in prison or a zoo for all you know. They talk REAL nice to your child and they listen when you will not.
The old warnings our parents gave us no longer work today. The "Bad men" no longer come in cars, no longer offer candy on street corners, wearing rain coats. As a matter of fact they are not always Men!!. We all know this was always a stereo typed out look to begin with. But today it is not even worth looking at. The "Quiet nice shy kid next door" is the one to watch out for here. Sad but true... The most dangerous thing about Internet Predator's is their invisibility or at least their belief they are invisible.
Would you answer your door in the middle of the night and allow one of these people to enter?

David Spanbauer:At age 19, this Wisconsin psychopath broke into a home, tied a young baby sitter to a bed and raped her at knife point. He then shot the homeowner in the face. Sentenced to 70 years, he only served a few years. He then raped another teenager and was sentenced to only 12 years, but was again released to hone his skill as a serial killer.
Harvey Robinson:Intelligent teen athlete with chronic juvenile rap sheet turns into a rampaging rapist, stalker and serial killer. Despite his good points, his chronic violence puts him on Pennsylvania's death row.
Charles Cullen:When his marriage went downhill, this male nurse began to relieve the tensions from domestic failure, depression, alcoholism and chronic debt by injecting patients with medicines that were deadly. He was dismissed by several hospitals who suspected that he was killing patients, but employment laws in PA and NJ made hospitals liable if they gave negative comments about former employees. He confessed to murdering 35 patients, but the number may be closer to 40

Why of Course NOT!!! Well not through the Front door any way....
But do you realize that You are your child may have talked to any one of them Right in your OWN house??? Both Prisons and mental institutions have computers and internet access. Scary isn't it?
So what can you do about it? Well you could hide and never turn on your computer again. But, that would not be much fun. It would also be kind of a waste of good equipment and kind of hard to explain to the grand kids when the say grand ma what is that thing? Are you going to tell them it was a great source of information and communication grandma got too scared to use?
No let's make it safe!!
First you need a good virus and spyware program to fight those evil virus's
I recommend AVG or EWIDO they have a free one or the Pro which is Great!!
Get free anti-virus and anti-spyware
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OK now your computer is Semi safe NOW What?
Create a strong Password. (for more info see my post on Passwords)
Always remember that Alice the 70 year old grandmother of 11 in Kansas. May in fact be Al from your car pool who is wanting to kidnap your 11 year old grand daughter to take her to Kansas. He is in fact not disabled at all he is 22 years old is looking in your window right now with a telescope and thanking you for paying all of your bills online.
OK now your scared Again? Good!
When you Pay your Bills Close your curtains put up those fire walls and HIDE!!!!
Use a Fire Wall!!

But Do not make the Fatal mistake and over do it!!
Many people make the mistake of using more than 1 fire wall. Fire walls and Anti virus programs tend to attack each other. They do NOT play well together!! Find the one that works best for you and stick with it!!
IS there such a thing as a Totally Safe place on the Internet?
In a Word NO is there a totally safe place any where? But, we can make it a little safer by simply applying a little common sense.
Just as you do not allow your children to go into people's house's you do not know alone. Do not allow them to go into Chat rooms alone without you. Plain and simple.

Parental Controls - Customize access to places online
Parental Controls Help - Find answers to questions
Web Controls - Regulate Internet surfing
Parents Central - Tips on how to use AOL with your kids

Child Online Protection Act
Read it. Learn it. Use it.
But, When all is said and Done? Download all of this Read all of this. Get it all secure. Then get hacked any way. IT is a cruel world out there and every day no matter what you do or how careful you are there are people who have nothing better to do than upset you and mess up your stuff. So defend it the best way you can. Make sure all of this is in place. Watch your children and listen to them. I mean REALLY listen!!! A simple off hand comment that may mean nothing on the surface may mean Life or death in the end!!
Say one Day your child says:
Alice told me she got a new razor last week.
Ok no biggie right? WRONG!!! Alice is supposed to be 70 years old and in a wheel chair remember? Well! Today A razor is no longer used for shaving your arm pits!! Wake up Mom!! Your child just told you Alice is a LOT younger!!! AND a LOT skinner than 350 lbs!!! Don't you think it is time YOU found out who Alice REALLY is?