Internet Safety Contract

It seems that my little middle daughter is coming up with crazy internet acronyms on a daily basis. This morning, I had a little chat with her about internet safety. I found Safekids.com first. Lots of great information on there and I noticed at the bottom of the page a sister site, ConnectSafely.org



 Family Contract for Online Safety- Kids Pledge


 Note: This pledge is mainly for younger children. Teens and pre-teens should use the teens’ pledge. Also note that this “pledge” is really designed as a conversation starter and certainly could be adopted to suit your family.

Young 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 go online or play video games when my parents say it’s OK and limit my online time so that it doesn’t interfere with chores, homework or other activities.
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.
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 check with my parents before downloading or installing software or apps or doing anything that could possibly hurt our devices or jeopardize my family’s privacy.
9. I will be a good online citizen and not do anything that hurts other people or is against the law.
10. I will help my parents understand how to have fun and learn things online and teach them things about the Internet, computers and other technology.

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

Items one through six are  adapted from the brochure Child Safety on the Information Highway by Lawrence J. Magid. Copyright 1994 and 1998 by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Printed copies are available free by calling 800 843-5678.  (© 1997, 2005 Larry Magid)