Safe Networking for Kids - kiddzchat.comHave you seen a seven-year-old work a computer lately? It's kind of stunning how advaned they are ... and kind of scary. It's only a matter of time before your child realizes the full potential of the Web and wants to join the social networking craze. Club Penguin is already wildly successful, as is Webkinz. But one concern reigns supreme - how safe is a child online?
It's nice to see that people out there are responding to concerns over kids and the dangers of technology. But there are always ways to beat the system. And threats don't come only from predators - cyberbullying is real and can be a major problem. Kiddzchat could be a nice thing for kids, but like most things kids do, this should be closely monitored. Most online child safety groups recommend Internet activity for kids only when a parent or guardian is present. The New MySpace, Where KIDDZCHAT Right By Elizabeth Sorensen With the craze of online communities such as MySpace also come online predators, in disguise and on the prowl. This can be dangerous because on profile they may be 15 and in high school, but when you meet up for that outing at the mall they are a completely different, older person. What is there to do about these predators? Well besides following the known online safety rules such as don¡¯t talk to people who you do not know and never give out personal information, you can also visit KIDDZCHAT.com. KIDDZCHAT.com is an online social community designed for kids between the ages of seven and fourteen, created by North Miami Beach¡¯s own Mr. Bannon. The core reasoning for the creation of this website is that Bannon, who is a father, recognized the long overdue need for a website that enables kids to socialize on the Internet in the safest environment possible. ¡° I wanted to know that my daughters have a place where they can talk to their friends without the worry of any perverted predators.¡± Kiddzchat is the first website of its kind to offer ¡°comprehensive protection¡± to its members. The security process begins with identity verification of all prospective members. When new members submit a valid credit card, their identity is run through the national database of registered child predators. This gives parents empowerment over their child¡¯s online experience by making them administrators of their child¡¯s profile. Before another member can be added as a child¡¯s friend the parents must first view and approve them. More detail of the security measures taken are available on the website. So to all students who are tired of harassment from strangers online or to anyone who has a little brother or sister who wants to be online, this website would be ideal. Kiddzchat is safe, fun, and on full security. 6 ? THE QUEST ? FEBRUARY 2008 Kids chat safely at Kiddzchat.com SouthFlorida.com When Rick Bannon served in Iraq, he worked on secure, classified networks, which required verification of identity in order to access. Though he and fellow soldiers found the interaction offered by social-networking sites such as MySpace invaluable, some commands ordered soldiers to delete their MySpace profiles because they contained too much information -- information that, in several cases, made them and their families targets for terrorists. Upon his return, the Davie resident, Miami-Dade County school teacher and father of two, found "a pretty good offering of online sites for kids but none that employed special security to verify who is getting on the site and interacting with your child." Bannon set out to create a safer place for kids on the Internet -- a site that would verify the identity of each and every user. Kiddzchat.com requires potential members to submit a credit card in order to join. Basic memberships are actually free, but the credit card is used to pull personal information that would weed out sexual offenders and predators by crosschecking with the National Sexual Offender database. Realizing that there are plenty of stolen credit cards and predators that haven't been caught out there, Bannon's site adds a premier security measure. Parents are the administrators of their child's profile and have to approve anyone that wants to talk to their child on this site. Even another registered user cannot view another user's profile without parental consent. Parents set up a username and password for themselves, as well as a separate one with their child. Kiddzchat.com will notify parents via e-mail when someone wishes to be their child's friend. The parents must then sign in with their own credentials to approve the request. "The backstops that are in place make it impossible for a predator to contact or view any of the members that are online," Bannon said. Kiddzchat.com is designed as an alternative for younger kids, ages 7 to 14, who really shouldn't be using social-networking sites, such as My Space or Facebook, yet. All the most popular online tools are provided, including as profiles, blogs, and picture and video sharing. Instant messaging, which is optional and costs $1 monthly, should be up and running by the end of January. For a free demo and more details, visit www.kiddzchat.com. |