Child safety online: the do’s and don’ts

Whatever the rules, let the whole family know and let them also know the penalties for not sticking to them. You could even print them out and stick them on the wall next to the computer.

• Make your browser child-safe: There are protective controls in Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator that can reduce risks, like stopping the 'history' of pages from being collected - so, if you connect to an inappropriate site either by mistake or by design, your children will be blocked from seeing it. Use your browser to add some degree of filtering. It takes a bit of work, but the effort is well worth it.

What you should not do

• Never let young children surf alone: Always be with them and guide them through the pages. That way you can deal with any 'horrors' that might crop up.

• Never connect without protection: Invest in a 'firewall', for example, which will help protect you from unwanted intruders. A good, free, firewall is available from, Zone Labs.

• Don't allow strangers access to your computer : They could change your settings or remove protection you already have in place.