Preventions
Steps to be taken for all internet addicts:
1) People must recognize patterns of overuse. We have to be aware of the time spent on the computer, but also time spent on thinking about the Internet or activities related to the Internet.
2) We must identify the underlying problems. Just like other kind of addicts, Internet addicts should ask themselves what is causing them to want to get away from reality?
3) We have to develop and act out a plan to work through the problem, rather than to run away from it. Escaping from the problem through the Internet and effectively ignoring it does not resolve the problem. It will only intensify the problem and lead to more severe consequences.
4) The addict needs to take steps to resolve the addiction itself. It is best to gradually reduce the use of computer, until he has finally reached a reasonable amount of time. This would help to counter the highly reinforcing variable ratio aspect, where one is never sure when something exciting is going to appear, but the total amount of excitation is dependent upon the amount of time on-line.
Before it becomes a problem... do something like:
• Have a holiday abroad without computer usage
• Do some exercise and workouts regularly
• Chat with your friends and family about what is happening in your life
• Search for other internets
• Join a support group
• Develop new relationships and friendships
• Talk to others about your overuse of the Internet
• Cut down your Internet sessions
• Try counseling or psychotherapy to assist you in dealing with the addictive behavior
• Set a timetable for yourself
• And lastly lead a healthy and fruitful lifestyle.
Between Parents and Child
In addition to discovering the nature of the internet, talk to your children about their online activities. If your children tell you about a distressing encounter they have had with a website, it is far better to discuss it rather than to ignore it. When your child first receives his or her email, share an account with them so that you can oversee their activities and monitor what he or she does. Also, join your children when they are in private chat rooms. In this way, you can build stronger bonds with your children.
However, prevention is still necessary for your children. There are some useful options provided by the technology and software. Let’s look at some of the ways that parents can do:
Safe websites
Many sites can be found on the web that has been designed exclusively with children’s internets and needs in mind. They can contain information, games and activities that are suitable for children.
Safe search engines
There are a number of search engines available on the web that is designed to be used by children. These search engines inspect the websites that are returned by a search query and reject those that contain any words that are considered to be unacceptable and improper. Through this, they will not be exposed to any unfavorable material.
Safe internet service providers
Many Internet Service Providers (ISP) filtered web content before it reaches clients’ computers. ISPs offering this kind of child-oriented service filter material by using a combination of human researchers and specialise software to decide which sites are to be filtered.
Filtering software
Filtering software consist of an image recognition engine and text filter. An image recognition filter recognizes sexually explicit graphics while a separate text filter evaluates text in context according to stringent criteria to eliminate unsuitable web content. This is how they work: the website will be blocked if they are on a blacklist stored on the central server. The software will also frequently update its blacklist. When filter software encounters pages that are not blacklisted, the text and images are analyzed and upon finding unsuitable text or images, those pages are removed before they reach your browser and the page may be added to the blacklist. This ensures foolproof protection for your children against pornography and other undesirable threats.
The difference between filtering software and content blocking ISPs is vague. Both have the advantage of preventing unwanted websites appearing on your monitor by using software that cannot be tampered with by anyone in your home.
Guidelines for parents
Find out about the internet:
Your local library, community centre, or school may offer free introductory materials which can help you to understand the internet better. You can also use the search engine to look for articles which introduce the internet.
Get involved:
Do not put up barriers between you and your child’s experience on the internet. Spending time online with your child will help your child to realize that the values you have taught them apply to the internet as well as in your home.
Keep it in perspective:
Over reacting to materials that you find objectionable will frighten your child, give them a negative reaction or concentrate their curiosity, which they may attempt to satisfy. If your child seems interested only in playing online video games, try a tie-in to one of their favorite games. For example, if your child prefers fantasy role-playing, encourage her or him to read fantasy books.
Encourage other interests and social activities:
Get your child out from behind the computer screen and expose your kids to other hobbies and activities, including sports, music, art or physical pastimes etc. Take your kids to a ball game or a play, sign up for swimming lessons or ceramics classes, visit your local library or museum, as long as it is something else from computer usage. Encourage your children to connect with other children and make new friends in activities such as soccer, basketball, Scouts, girl guides and other after school clubs. This will prevent them from excessive use of computer which can result in isolation from the society.
Set clear limits and rules:
Don't ban the use of Internet - it is an important part of most kids' social lives. Instead, establish rules about where your kids can go online and what they can do there - and stick to the rules. Establish rules about when and for how long your child can surf online. Limit the amount of Internet time your child is allowed each day, and restrict Internet use until their homework and chores are done. Rules definitely help.
Monitor computer use:
Keep your computer in a public area of your house, not in a child's bedroom. In this way, you can keep an eye on your child's online activities. While personal supervision is necessary, do make the efforts to find out more about the wide range of parental control and filtering tools that can help keep your child safe on the internet. Invest in software that monitors and restricts Internet use. Although these tools are helpful, keep in mind they can be easily disabled by a savvy computer user. Your ultimate goal should be helping your kids to develop self-control, discipline and accountability on the Internet.
Be a good role model:
Your child looks to you as an example. So you, as a parent has to make sure that your own computer use is not out of control. It will be difficult to enforce rules if your child sees you breaking them.
Rules for children
Children can be given a sense of responsibility for their actions, as well as an understanding of some of the dangers of the web by agreeing to a set of rules:
1) I will never give out personal details that I would identify who I am, such as my name, address, phone number, school or photographs.
2) I will tell a parent or a teacher if I see any bad language or pictures on the internet, or if anyone writes me anything I don’t like.
3) I will not reply to any messages or bulletin board items that are suggestive, obscene, aggressive, or distressing.
4) I will not use bad language; neither will I take part in arguments or fights online.
5) I will not accept any offers of money or presents, even free offers.
6) I will never give out anything online or give out details about my family.
7) I will enter chat rooms and websites that I have agreed with my parents are off-limits.
8) I will not arrange face-to-face meetings with anyone I have met online unless my parents consent and they accompany me.
Time limiting
• Letting your children surf the internet whenever their want is clearly a mistake. The precise time-limiting guidelines that you set will depend on individual circumstances, but there are a few guidelines that can be used.
• The first might be to limit their online time to the periods when a parent is at home. A second guideline could be to strike an agreed balance between family time, homework time and online time.
• Finally, a limit can be set on the amount of time your children are allowed to surf at random, because this kind of internet use will increase the likelihood of them encountering undesirable sites.
Safe browsing
The browsers installed on your computer do have safe surfing features which give you a next level of protection that can be used to control the display of websites.
You can prevent your child from viewing sites that contain undesirable materials on the Internet browser. For example, by using Internet Explorer’s Content Advisor features, you are able to censor sites that show obscene language, violence, sex and nudity.
• Under tools>>Internet Options>>Content Advisor, click on Enable.
• Under the Ratings tab, four categories: Language, Nudity, Sex, and Violence are displayed. Click on one of the four and drag the slider below to set the level of material that the user is to be permitted.
• The process of setting access levels can be repeated for another, or all, of the categories. Each one has its own set of descriptions for different levels.
• Type in your password in both fields of Create Supervisor Password dialog box. Only you, the holder of the password, can alter the settings.
• It is possible to either allow or deny access to individual websites. Click on Approved Sites tab. Type in the address of the website and then click on either Always or Never depending on whether the website is to be allowed or denied.
• Click on OK when you have finish listing the sites. You can add to the list at any time.
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