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Photograph of Parry Aftab, Executive Director of WiredSafetyParry Aftab
Parry Aftab, an Internet privacy and security lawyer, is WiredSafety's Executive Director. Parry is The Privacy Lawyer columnist for Information Week magazine.More...
Ask Parry! FAQ

What are the risks our children face online?

How can I teach my children about risks online if I have never used the Internet?

How can I tell if something is dangerous to my child or merely offensive?

I hear that the Internet is loaded with criminals. Is that true?

I think that the only way to keep your children safe is to keep them offline. Is that true?

O.K.ay, you convinced me. But I'm not a techie, and I can't even program my VCR. How can I supervise my children online?

I hear there are no laws in cyberspace. Is that true?

I'm afraid that my children will be kidnapped or molested by someone they meet online. How serious a risk is that?

How do I know when my child is ready to use the Internet?

How do I encourage my child to come to me with questions and when things go wrong online?

I taught my children about "Stranger Danger." But how does this work when you're supposed to talk with strangers online?

My children and teens want to chat online, but I hear it's dangerous. What should I do?

My kids don't chat online, but they use Instant Messaging all the time. Is that a problem?

I trust my child not to get into trouble. Is that a mistake?

Who's at risk? Is there a profile of a typical child victim of Internet-related sexual molestation?

How can you find out what information is posted online about your child?

Is there a profile of a typical predator?

My children know not to talk to strangers. I have been teaching them about stranger-danger for many years. I don't believe they would be lured into talking to a predator online. How does this happen?

What is the likelihood of my child meeting an online predator offline? Should I be worried?

My children attend a school that has a Web site They have posted the names and photos of the students at the site. Is that a problem?

What can I do to help my child avoid being a victim of an Internet sexual molester?

What about filtering and blocking software and parental controls? Do they keep your child safe?

What about technology…are there products to help you snoop on your child?

Should I snoop on my children?

Maybe I should just keep them from using the Internet entirely.

But what can I do if I don't understand computers or technology? My children know more than I do about the Internet.

So, what can I do to make my children more Internet-safety-savvy?

What do I do if I suspect my child is involved with an Internet sexual predator?

Whom do I contact to report an Internet sexual predator?

My child told me about their encounters online with someone I suspect is a sexual molester. I understand you want me to report it to law enforcement. But what do I do if I don't want to get law enforcement involved?

What do I do if my child is missing and I suspect that an Internet sexual molester is involved?

Which law enforcement agencies in the United States handle cybercrimes?

What kinds of things are teens really doing online?

I suspect that teens act out online. Is that true?

What's your favorite and most important safety tip?

Ask Parry!

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Ask Parry! Ask Parry! is a service where Parry Aftab, noted online safety and privacy expert, and Executive Director of WiredSafety.org can answer your questions about online safety, privacy and security, and help you with problems you encounter online. Anything from help finding a safe chat room for your teens, to knowing what to do if the item you bought at auction doesn't arrive as promised.

What about filtering and blocking software and parental controls? Do they keep your child safe?

There are many good products out there to help you control what your children do and see online. Online and Internet services have good products as well, like AOL's great parental controls. But don't rely on software to prevent your children from getting into trouble. Even with all the software devices and tools we have on the market to protect our kids and to keep them from getting into trouble online, there are many ways a computer savvy kid can still get into trouble. The tools are still imperfect.

Several of them let many sites through that you may not want your children to see. Some don't prevent your child from sending their personal-contact information to others. None prevent your child from meeting strangers offline.

Many products monitor and report on online use: where the children have been, how long they were there, and what they did online. (Some even take periodic snapshots of their screens or give you a log of everything your child said or your child heard online.) Certain products can also monitor offline computer usage as well, such as how many hours (and which hours) the child spends on the computer or playing computer games, and can restrict them from using certain software offline.

To read more about filtering products and our testing of those products, visit WiredKids.org. For a database of the kinds of products out there, visit GetNetWise.org. Don't rely on technology to protect your children-that's your job.

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Parts of this Web site were taken from Parry Aftab's book The Parent's Guide to Protecting Your Children in Cyberspace. Marvel and all character names and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Marvel Characters, Inc., and are used with permission. TM & © 2004 Marvel Characters, Inc. All rights reserved. www.marvel.com. Super Heroes is a Co-owned registered Trademark.
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