Ning

Parent Safety Tips

Talk to your kids about Ning and the Internet

• Start a conversation with your kids about why they use Ning. Social networking can be important to your kids in many ways, just like email and instant messaging. Expressing an interest in their behavior can help you to understand what role the Ning Networks they belong to play in their lives.

• Help your kids understand that, like the rest of the online world, Ning is a public space and they shouldn't post anything that could embarrass them or that may put them in harm’s way.

• Help your kids understand basic safety guidelines. Encourage them to protect their privacy (including passwords), to treat peers respectfully, to never talk about sex with people they don't know, to avoid in-person meetings with people they "meet" online, and to take care and pride in what they post online. Remind them that anything people put online can be grabbed, reworked, and used against them.

• Encourage your kids to think about what they post. Ensure that they know that they shouldn't take or send nude or sexually suggestive photos or videos of themselves or anyone else. If they do, they could be charged with producing or distributing child pornography, even if they're of them or they just pass along someone else's. If they keep them on their phone or computer they could be charged with possession. If they go to someone in another state (and that happens really easily on the Internet), it's a federal felony.

  Then there's the emotional (and reputational) damage that can come from having intimate photos or videos of themselves sent to everyone they know. Remind them that not only can stuff like that be sent around, but they can also be distributed and archived online for people to find for pretty much forever.

  Remind them to share information and content wisely and stay alert. Critical thinking about what they upload and download is the best protection. Please encourage your kids to take a look at our Teen Safety Tips, Safety Settings for Members and Safety Settings for Network Creators.

Report Inappropriate Behavior

Inappropriate behavior or content, such as harassment or hate speech, violate our Terms of Service. If you encounter inappropriate behavior on a Ning Network, you should report it to the Network Creator, us and/or the authorities, as appropriate. You can report a problem to the Network Creator of the social network by clicking on "Report an Issue" at the bottom of every page, or alternatively, you can contact us through the Ning Help Center. You should also encourage your kids to report inappropriate content to you, the Network Creator, us and/or to the authorities.

Please visit ConnectSafely for additional tips.