I just attended a highly informative and eye-opening lecture given by Philip Rosenthal, Computer and Internet Safety Expert. Back in the 1990’s, when the internet was just starting to become popular, Rosenthal designed and implemented the Computer Crime Unit for the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department, tracking and arresting computer based child abusers. As internet use rose, Rosenthal saw families being destroyed by online addictions. He went back to school for a degree in psychology so that he could treat and help the victims of cyber crimes.
Rosenthal was very matter of fact as he outlined the dangers facing children and teens online. He noted the risk to children from cyber predators and cyber bullies. He advised parents to talk to their children about putting any personal information on Facebook, and My Space etc. accounts. He warned parents of the rise of obsessive behaviors associated with not only computers but with blackberries, iphones, itouchs and plain old cell phones. More and more adults and children are becoming addicted to e-mailing, texting, video games, online gambling and pornography. Getting rid of the internet in the home often doesn’t help, it just send the kids “underground”, to friend’s houses, libraries or internet café’s.
To protect your family he suggested the following:
- Limit information Profiles in AIM, Facebook, My Space, etc.
- Computers should be in public places in the home
- No computers in bedrooms
- Limit the amount of time children spend online
- Try to encourage children to find hobbies that don’t involve the computer
- Install Filters like Net Nanny, K9, Safe Eyes
- Install Key loggers like E Blaster
- Check your cell phone bills to monitor your child’s texting and cell phone usage
- Practice what you preach- don’t spend an inordinate amount of time at home on the computer or on your cell phone.
Rosenthal encouraged parents to use healthy parenting skills. Parents should communicate with their children openly about their computer and cell phone usage. This, he felt, was the single most important factor in protecting children from dangerous online behavior. When counseling children and teens he would tell them “talk to your parents, tell them what is going on” and they would respond, “they will kill me or ground me for life” or “I can’t talk to them; they would never understand.” Rosenthal urged parents to refrain from punishing their children when faced with inappropriate, negative online behavior but to immediately seek professional help.
For more information on how to communicate effectively with your children and information on how to discipline without punishing your child, join our “How To Talk” workshop!
See you there!