Child Safety and Instant Messaging

It was three simple keystrokes and a click on the mouse that caught my attention. Our family is well versed in the online lifestyle... My wife and I run our business from our house and we earn our living writing, and speaking about the internet so our kids have easy access to the internet. This recent school year showed me that with this access comes some risks.

How I Found Out!

Every time I came into the room, my son suddenly stopped typing. The keyboard fell silent.

What would you do?

My son was spending all his online time with Microsoft Hotmail and MSN Instant Messenger - and so was the majority of his class! The scary part was that he knew more about Hotmail and Instant Messaging than I did!

I make my living on the internet and have used Instant Messaging for business, but after I saw the POS a couple of times I knew it was time to find out everything a concerned parent needs to know about kids and Instant Messaging.

Like many parents I'm proud of my two kids and their ability to grasp technology, like computers and the internet. But with kids relying more on the Internet and Instant Messaging for their information and communication than older teens who were raised on TV and the telephone- it was important to keep myself educated.

While parents may believe they know what their child is up to on the net, in some of the research I found, children in that study said their parents know very little or nothing at all about their online activities. Yet when parents were asked how much they thought they knew about it, 71 per cent said they knew a great deal or a fair bit.

To be safe, parents should educate themselves and then communicate with their kids about what they do online, and how to handle any negative experiences they might have.

I did all the research!

When it comes to kids and Instant Messaging, I had the right questions - so I just did the research. It's one thing to read a bunch of statistics and think..."oh, that doesn't include my children", and it's another to "talk to your child and their friends".

With the parents permission I invited several of my kids grade 4 and grade 7 class mates (both male and female) and their older siblings over for an interview. I was surprised how open and knowledgeable they were discussing their Instant messaging use. Afterwards, I asked their parents the same questions and discovered how little they really do know about their children's use. It just verified everything else that I had read.

We tend to think we know more about our children's lives than we really do. Just turn back the clock to when you were in their shoes. Did you tell your parents EVERYTHING?! I think NOT. However, we are talking about NOW in year 2006, and the risks and dangers are far more greater than when we were teens and pre-teens.

It is our RESPONSIBILITY AND DUTY to keep our youngsters as safe as possible. I want to share this information with you since I feel so STRONGLY about it.

The answers to my questions, and more are included in my new Videos "A Parents Guide To Instant Messaging".

Because computers can be hard to understand, especially if you have to read your way through technical descriptions of images on a screen, I answered all the questions with real live "Screen Captures". It's like watching my computer screen and listening as I describe exactly what's happening.

I've created a series of screen capture videos where you can see exactly what your kids are doing when they Instant Message. All of your questions will be answered. You get to see how they register an account, what privacy terms and conditions they agree to, what a buddy list is and how they add contacts to their contact list. You'll learn about screen names, emoticons and that funny new language that IM'rs speak!

I've done all the work for you. All you have to do is watch, listen and Learn:


		What is Instant Messaging?

		What Are My Kids Doing On HotMail?

		What Does POS, G2G, BRB, NM And All Those Other Pictures and Words Mean?

		Is Instant Messaging Safe?

		What is a Buddy or Contact List

		Who Are They Talking To?

		What Do My Kids Actually Do When They Instant Message?

		How Do They Set Up An Account?

		What Privacy Terms and Conditions Do They Agree Too?

		What is a MSN Chatroom and Who is In It?

		What Is A Screen Name? How Do I Check My Childs Screen Name?

		How Public Is My Childs Information? How Do I Check My Instant Messaging Software Settings?

		Is My Computer Safe When My Kids Instant Message?

		What Are The Different Types of Instant Message Software?

		What Else Can Instant Messaging Software Do?

		What Are Emoticons?

		Do I Need To Know About Computer Virus' and Trojans?

		How Can I Check My Child's Profile in The Members Directory?

		How Do You Know Who Has Your Child On Their Buddy/Contact List?

		How Can I Block People From Contacting My Child Online?

A Parents Guide To Instant Messaging

In "A Parents Guide To Instant Messaging" you download a complete set of videos containing a wealth of Instant Messaging and Online Safety Tips. ... starting with the Instant Messaging basics, and going all the way through to your privacy and your child's safety.

This complete package comes in the form of downloadable videos with special child safety workbook, 20 separate video sessions you can view on your computer screen and links to additional resources. All you have to do is place the double click on the files to open them with your Windows Media Player and watch the screen. Don't worry, if you don't already have a computer with a free copy of Windows Media player installed I'll give you the link where you can download everything - the videos, workbook and additional resources!

You can watch as often as you want, when ever you want to. It's up to you! I even recommend watching it WITH your child. It opens the door for discussion that might otherwise be difficult.

There is host of real problems that our kids face when they live "online". Traditional media is full of stories about online pornography, sexual predators, inappropriate behavior, online scams and bullying. To give you an example, A study by the Media Awareness Network revealed some alarming statistics:

The Shocking Statistics

25% of kids have been asked by someone they’ve only ever met on the Internet to meet in person.
15% of say they’ve met an online friend in person. When parents were asked if their kids had ever done this, only 4% said "yes".
53% have received pornographic junk mail, and of these, the vast majority (78%) didn’t tell their parents.
24% have received porn online from someone they have met only online.
14% who use instant messaging services say they’ve been threatened while using it.
Tweens, the younger version of the teenager are even more drawn to instant messenger (IM) programs and chatrooms than email. According to a 2001 report by YTV, 51% of tweens who surf the Internet have their own personal email addresses, and 56% say they use chat rooms and/or IM.
Interestingly, only 28% of parents surveyed thought their tweens chatted online.
This is probably because their kids chat when parents aren’t around. Eighty-five per cent of tweens who visit private and adult-only chat rooms say they’re at home but unsupervised when they do it.
54% of 13 and 14 year-olds who chat online say they sometimes visit private and adult-only chat rooms. This is also the case for 37% of 11 and 12 year-olds who chat and 26% of 9 and 10year-olds.

2 Very Valuable Bonuses If You Order Today

If you order the "Parents Guide To Instant Messaging" videos today, not only will you know exactly what your kids are up to when they instant message, you also get these two very valuable bonuses:

Your Purchase Is 100% Guaranteed

If you've watch the videos and find that you haven't learned enough to talk about instant messaging and your kids safety, just drop me a line (my full details are at the bottom of this letter) and I'll return every single cent of your money within one working day. That's more than a guarantee ... it's a personal promise from one caring parent to another.

Sincerely,
James Maduk and the Maduk Family

P.S. Remember: You get all this for only $27 ... All you have to do is download the videos directly to your computer and then watch real examples take from our computer screens - captured in live video and explained in expert detail.

P.P.S. If you were wondering what the three letters I referred to earlier meant;

POS = Parent Over Shoulder

Grab your videos right now, Find out what your kids are doing when they instant message and make sure everyone stays safe...

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Ottawa, ON K2J1S9
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Concerned About Your Child's Safety Online?

You Should Be! For many kids with access to the internet, Google has replaced the library and instant messaging has replaced the telephone as the primary mode of communication.