CityView Magazine - Fayetteville, NC
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/35097
Protecting Your Family Safety First By Kelly Twedell Local Fayetteville F.B.I. Special Agent and the Senior Resident Agent for the Fayetteville Resident Agency, Timothy Gannon, weighs in on recommendations for overall security in your home. When it comes to kids and media, they are learning at an exponential rate and are pretty savvy, but what can you do to provide a basic level of safety as they gain the privilege of accessing social media, web based electronics and cell phones? An ounce of prevention 1. If you use a wireless router in your home, set a password at the very minimum to deter hackers. Next, use firewalls. Many anti-virus and anti- spam software are available or come installed on hardware, but expire after one year. ‘Like’ this 2. “Friend” your kids on social networking sites monitoring posts and pictures. Talk to them about what is appropriate. Teach responsible social media use - many high school teachers are using Facebook to assign homework these days. Stay plugged in 3. Keep the family computer in an open area but give your kids privacy as they get older. Do not force them into seclusion. For younger children, explain to them the danger of the anonymity of chat rooms and predators. XCLNT : ) 4. Cellular phones. Set boundaries to ensure safety. Talk openly about texting and the dangers of inappropriate photos and the damage they can cause. Talk about sexting, ask if they know what it is. Did you know that P911 means “parent alert”? Use this as a chance to connect with your child, take the honest approach and hopefully they will be honest with you as well. No texting while driving, be a good example. Fraud 5. Does your high school aged child use your debit card online for iTunes? Switch over to a credit card. It is easier to dispute charges than to have your checking account wiped out by hackers. Doing your banking online? Use a browser like Firefox that can enable “Private Browsing” from the toolbar. Love it or hate it, social media is here to stay and it is important to keep up with the trends as they evolve not only to protect your kids, but to stay in communication with them as well. CityViewNC.com | 51