Nowadays, children are in contact with internet at very early age and in different places. These include:

School  – There are computers at different levels of education system;

House – Various houses have personal computers with internet access;

Friends  –If your child does not have home internet access, it is possible that one of his friends has;

Libraries  – Libraries have computers with internet access to be used by clients;

Public access centres  – Public places where people can have access to internet;

Mobile devices – Mobile phones or tables can provide internet access.

Children may have internet access. For this reason, you must prepare your children for secure internet, in the same way as for other issues such as security from fire, water and street etc. To prepare a secure internet strategy for your children reduces the risk of problems.

What do children of age 5 to 7 do online?

Pre-schoolers are old enough to surf the Internet and learn about computers. Children as young as five years old can visit children's websites with you and maintain e-mail correspondence with family and friends.

What can parents do?

• To check if the websites are appropriate for children. You should be responsible for the selection of websites which will be visited by children of this age.
• It is recommended close surveillance.
• Select the websites for your children and add them at bookmark.
• Use secure areas for this age group, especially when they start school, and they can more by themselves.
• Restrict email usage only to family members and other members approved by you.
• Use filters to prevent accidental access to inappropriate material.

What do children of age 8 to 11 do online?

Starting from eight years old, children are interested in finding out more about the Internet, online chats, or correspondence. Some children may begin to seek their independence and view prohibited material. They constantly learn and understand the difference between an advertisement and other material. Talking to children about commercial information and how it should be handled helps them. Their skills and independence continue to grow, but by making internet research a family activity, it helps to have close supervision.

What parents can do:

• Be actively involved in children's use of the Internet.
• Talk about secure online behaviour and discuss why this is necessary.
• Check the chat rooms that the child wants to attend.
• See the possibilities of using filters to block access to different websites.
• Use research methods designed to be used by children.
• Keep the computer in a convenient place at home so that you can control the use of it by children.

What do teenagers of age 12 to 17 do online?

The Internet becomes a very valuable tool for assignments and projects of teenagers. At the same time, they become more independent and more self-assured, seeking more freedom and being more influenced. Their online contacts tend to grow. Some may challenge the use of filters and attempt to view prohibited material. Many have good internet knowledge and try to hack into systems and understand basic computer programming. However, they are better able to distinguish advertising from other materials and understand persuasive techniques.

Many older teens can create their own programs and manage computer software. Their use of the Internet includes school research, job searches, global communication, and increasing technical knowledge. This growing knowledge can create a problem for them if they discover ways or methods to access or disrupt private systems.

What parents can do:

• Be close to your children, to control them what they do online. While it is more difficult to supervise them directly, continue to talk to them about Internet matters and share experiences together.
• Reinforce security messages and automation rules. Younger teenagers should be reminded of the need to maintain their privacy.
• Make sure teens understand that posting to news or forums can make their e-mail address public.
• Make sure you and your child understand laws related to copyright, privacy, piracy, etc.

Despite the educational and social benefits that come from the Internet, there are risks associated with its use.

Children and teenagers who use the Internet may encounter material that is disturbing and inappropriate. Despite the use of technology used to minimize risk, other strategies should be used such as educating children at an early age about the benefits and risks of using the Internet. It is necessary to teach children how to be smart and use the Internet in a safe and responsible way.