I get inundated with emails, messages from facebook, and tweets from twitter followers on what to do when they get hit with a virus.  It really is a daily occurance.

Even though the statistics prove it, I still get amazed (and somewhat peeved) when I find out that most people have little to no protection on their pc AT ALL!

First thing you should do is CLICK THIS LINK AND BOOKMARK IT! (it opens in a new window).  It’s step-by-step instructions on how to clean your pc of an infection using FREE SOFTWARE and it is a great first step to protecting your pc even if you don’t have a virus!  RUN THROUGH THESE STEPS TODAY!  IT WILL CLEAN OUT YOUR PC OF ANY DANGEROUS FILES AND GARBAGE FILES!

Second, even though some of these virus scams have been around for years – some of us still need to be warned again and again.

• Don’t open attachments in an email – ESPECIALLY FROM SOMEONE YOU KNOW!
  • If you really want to view it, save the attachment to your pc’s desktop (or wherever you prefer), run a virus scan on the file or files, and then if all is safe-then you may open it.
• Stop clicking on Pop-Ups!  ESPECIALLY ANTI-VIRUS/ANTI-SPYWARE POP-UPS.
  • If you click ANYWHERE on one of these pop-ups, you will get the infection.  Click the big red X in the top right hand corner – OR – use the ALT-F4 keystroke to close the window without using your mouse.
• If you are on sites dedicated to password cracks, hacking warez, and adult based sites – you have a much greater chance of getting infected with viruses and trojans! You probably shouldn’t be on those sites anyway, so don’t be surprised if you get hit.

There on hundreds of other ways your pc can get infected, but if you fall for the EASY TRICKS – why would hackers need to get elaborate?

Just recently, my daughter and I were conversing about school, friends, etc., and she started telling me about a discussion she had with a friend.  Apparently this friend of hers is the same age as my daughter, and she and her family had found out there was a sexual preditor living just a few houses down from them.  My daughter told me about how it was “gross”, and used words like “sicko” and “perv”!

My mind immediately started racing.  Where in town does this girl live?  Is it near us?  We need to check? (My hand was hovering over the preverbial panic button)

So I tried to ask my daughter in a very cautious manner (so I wouldn’t alarm her) where her friend lived.  Her answer:

Toronto, Canada!

Aparently her friend was on one her social networks, and they clicked because they had the same likes, dislikes, etc and they were near the same age!  Of Course, Social Networking!

Now Social Networking has been around basically since the inception of the web, so it’s not really new at all - but it has expanded with the advent of Web 2.0.  Now there are sites where you share a lot more about yourself, and you can choose who can be your friend and vice versa!

Now for the cool videos!  The folks at The CommonCraft show created these videos that absolutely knock it out of the park!

Social Networking

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc

Some Social Networking sites include:

• MySpace
• FaceBook
• Linked In (Great for Business Networking)

Social Media

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpIOClX1jPE

Social Bookmarking

www.youtube.com/watch?v=x66lV7GOcNU

Here are some Social Media and Bookmarking sites:

• StumbleUpon
• Delicious
• Furl
• Digg
• Reddit

Here’s what cool about social bookmarking, most blogs and web 2.0 sites have the little links (like the one’s formed in a row below this post under the words “Share and Enjoy“) so all you have to do is click on the appropriate link (like the Delicious icon) and it takes you directly to the site with the link and you just have to “tag” it and you’re all set.  You can go back to it later, or you can share that with your friends!

There is a lot to take in.  My suggestion is to start very small and work your way into it.

If you have questions, concerns, or comments - please feel free to leave them below!

Mike

I am a Dad.

That is a simple statement that brings a lot of responsibility with it. So I understand the concern when parents ask me what they can to do when it comes to their kids and the web.  I can see it in their face.  The knee-jerk reaction is always to “stifle” or “prevent” kids from surfing the web, but that is not what I do with our kids, and that is not the advice I give other parents.

Now I am a Christian, but I make it a point not to be a moralist.  What that means is that I don’t force my moral values upon other people, but that being said I do allow my moral compass to direct me in all aspects of my life including the advice that I give.  I won’t get into OUR “style” of parenting, but I can say that we are Parents to our children, not their friend.

Kids get curious.

Whether it’s the web, cutting class, alcohol, or drugs, etc., they get curious.  We did it as kids, why would we expect anything different from our kids?  When I talked to my kids about it, I told them 2 things:

• I explain to my two girls that there is good stuff and bad stuff on the web.
• In that discussion, I let them know that I can see EVERYTHING that they do on the computer.

Once those two statements are drilled into their mushy little skulls, I tell them that they may come across bad or scary stuff on the internet – and if so, they need to tell Mom or Dad.  If it happens, it happens…just tell us.  The circumstances of not telling us are NOT GOOD!  I want them to feel free to explore, but I don’t want them HIDING anything from me.

Now little kids (4-10yrs) are easy, typically you can just setup a shortcut to Disney.com or Cartoon Network.com and that will keep them pretty happy.  Those sites are very “kid-centric” and I consider them pretty safe.  Older kids (starting around 9 or 10 years old) like to EXPLORE the web.  They like to get into chat rooms or social sites like Facebook and MySpace and interact with their friends and meet new friends.  They also like to download music and videos regardless of whether it’s free or stolen.  (Note: This is how computers get completely screwed up with viruses, etc.  Click here to learn how to protect your computer from bad stuff)  Now we have RULES that we impose, and they are NON-NEGOTIABLE with our kids. You may need to modify these depending on your kids and your parenting style.

Here are the RULES that I recommend:

1. Search the kids surfing history.  KNOW how to search the history on the computer.  It’s easy, it only takes a little time to learn, and once your kid see’s that you know how to check…it firms up their belief that they can’t just surf without accountability.
   • “I don’t know anything about computers…” DO NOT USE THIS EXCUSE!!! This isn’t Voodoo! Take a little time to learn!  It’s all on the web.  Go to GOOGLE, search for “How To Find Windows History” and start reading.
   • Try this link for starters http://www.webwisekids.org/
2. If your child joins a site like Facebook, you need to join it as well and make them add you as a friend.  THIS IS NOT A LICENSE TO SNOOP! Your job as a parent is PROTECTION, not digging in your kids privacy.  If your child feels like you are, they will just open another account that you don’t know about and keep you out of the loop.
3. I set designated times for the kids to be on the computer/internet.  Any other access must go through me or my wife.

My kids understand the consequences for not following the rules.  It is important to hold your kids accountable!

As a parent, you need to learn about SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES.  Learn how sites like Facebook, MySpace, etc. work.  Learn what the dangers are.  Make it your job to understand what your kid is getting into!  This is the toughest part, because there is always a new one out there.

The Key is to know the dangers to your children, and to take the necessary steps to prevent them.  No excuses.  If you care about your kids, take the time to learn and understand the threats that are out there and how to protect them.

From a Parent, to a parent.