Here is some good advice to those who have children and a webcam at home:

• Think carefully about where in the house the webcam should be. It can be wise to place the web camera in a common room rather than the children’s room. In this way it becomes easier to follow what the children are doing and experiencing.

• If you have teenagers in the house: Talk together about responsible use of the camera. Others can abuse personal pictures or video sequences made with a web camera. Remember that teenager’s pictures on the Internet don’t necessarily disappear when the teenage years are over, and that pictures with partners – or video clips -  can live a lot longer than the  relationship.

• Talk to the child about how others can make video recordings of what you say and do in front of the camera. One should therefore not do anything in front of a webcam that one doesn’t want the whole world to see afterwards.

• Talk to the child about safe use of the camera:

      - Who is it OK to meet on the webcam?

      - What should the child do if a stranger offers gifts for a photo, or wishes to meet the child on the web
      camera or in person?

• An adult should be there if the child wants to meet in person someone they have met on the Internet.

• Turn off the camera when it’s not in use. If the child has engaged in file sharing (illegal downloading of music, films etc…), there is a technical possibility that someone might hack into the computer and activate the camera without the user’s knowledge.

• Invite your child to talk to you if he or she experiences something uncomfortable or frightening on the Internet.

Related articles on Kidsandmedia.co.uk:

Safe use of web cam

Safe web camera use