Salem, Oregon-Governor Kulongoski today announced a new tool parents can use to fight online sexual predators, and unveiled a “top ten list” of actions parents can take to keep children safe.

“The internet provides children many learning opportunities, but as they become more technologically savvy, children can also become more vulnerable to online sexual predators,” Governor Kulongoski said. “The growth of online social networking sites, such as Myspace.com, also provides sexual predators a perfect opportunity to lure minors. We’re working hard to give parents the tools they need to keep kids safe.”

Law enforcement officials and a bi-partisan group of lawmakers joined the Governor as he announced the “top ten list” to be featured on his website, http://governor.oregon.gov/. The Governor also thanked lawmakers from both sides of the aisle for their dedication to Oregon children and their commitment to addressing the growing problem of online sexual predators.

Governor Kulongoski specifically praised the bi-partisan efforts of Senator Kate Brown and Representative Andy Olson, who plan to introduce legislation to criminalize providing sexual material to children under age 13. The bill would also prohibit giving sexual material to a minor for the purpose of luring the minor to engage in sexual conduct.

As part of his on-going effort to combat online predators, Governor Kulongoski also announced that he has enlisted the help of the “Classroom Law Project,” a non-profit that works with schools around the state to research issues and participate in the legislative process. Under this project, students will study online sexual predators and solicitation of minors, and report findings and recommendations to the next session of the Legislature.

The Governor’s “Top Ten List” for parents includes the following:

1. Before allowing your kids to go online, develop rules for their internet use. Rules should include what websites your child may visit, whom they can talk to online, how long they can be online and where they can use a computer.

2) Keep the computer in a common area of the home, such as the family room. Don’t keep computers with internet access in your child’s room, and don’t let children use the internet when you are not at home.

3) Periodically review your child’s email account. Find out what websites your kids go to by checking the “history” folder of your internet browser. Visit these sites and find out what type of information they offer.

4) Note whether your child changes or minimizes the screen when you walk into the room, or whether your child suddenly spends more time online. Such behavior could be signs that your child is doing something inappropriate on the internet.

5) Don’t allow social networking on sites such as “myspace.com” or “facebook.com” for children in middle school or younger.

6) Talk to your kids about their photos and entries before they are posted. Since anything can be downloaded and forwarded on the web, ask your kids if they want the world to see what they post. Remind older kids that future colleges or potential employers could be checking them out, as well as teachers and classmates!

7) Set time limits before children go online and stick by those limits!

8) Don’t allow kids to have access to voice recorder technology, unless there is a specific reason (such as communicating with a relative.) Voice recorder technology can be a tool for online predators to keep in contact with children.

9) Keep up with the internet. Know what new key phrases and terms are. You should know terms such as instant messaging, blogging, social networking and other internet slang words, so you can have an honest and open dialogue with your child about the internet. The more you know, the more you can teach and protect your child.

10) Use parental control for your children. There is a lot of great software out there that allows you to protect and control what sites your child can visit online.