1. I will not give out personal information such as my address, telephone number, parent's work address/telephone number, or the name and location of my school without my parent's permission.
    
2. I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable. 
    
3. I will never agree to get together with someone I "meet" online without first checking with my parents. If my parents agree to the meeting, I will be sure that it is in a public place and bring my mother or father along.
    
4. I will never send a person my picture or anything else without first checking with my parents. 
    
5. I will not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way make me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If I do I will tell my parents right away so that they can contact the online service. 
    
6. I will talk with my parents so that we can set up rules for going online. We will decide upon the time of day that I can be online, the length of time I can be online, and appropriate areas for me to visit. I will not access other areas or break these rules without their permission.
     

Putting the Issue into Perspective  

The fact that crimes are being committed online, however, is not a reason to avoid using online services. To tell children to stop using these services would be like telling them to forgo attending college because students are sometimes victimized on campus. A better strategy would be for children to learn how to be "street smart" in order to better safeguard themselves in any potentially dangerous situation. 

Risks for Children Who Use Online Services   

Exposure to Inappropriate Material - A child may be exposed to inappropriate material of a sexual or violent nature.

Physical Molestation - while online, a child might provide information or arrange an encounter that could risk his or her safety or the safety of other family members. In a few cases, pedophiles have used online services to gain a child's confidence and then arrange a face-to-face meeting.

Harassment - a child might encounter e-mail or bulletin board messages that are harassing, demeaning, or belligerent.

This page was designed from the brochure "Child Safety on the Information Highway." It is written by Lawrence J. Magid and produced by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the Interactive Services Association.
An online version of the brochure with more information can be obtained from the ISA's Website.

Clarendon Hills Police Department 

448 Park Avenue
Emergency: 9-1-1
Non-Emergency: (630) 286-5460
Fax: (630) 286-5499