Play Safe & Stay Safe with High-tech Gifts

Santa must have spent a lot of money (or whatever it is he spends) to upgrade his workshop for the 2005 holidays, because high-tech gifts were high on lots of people's lists. Chances are someone in your family got at least one gift this season with a microprocessor, whether it was a PC, a digital music player, a digital camera or some other type of high-tech toy.

As good as many high-tech gifts are - and they are often great - many do require some level of caution for safe and appropriate use. I can't cover all tech gifts in one column but I will give advice on many of them, along with a couple of caveats that apply to most technology products.

First, look at the manual or the packaging for any warnings or parental advice such as age appropriateness. Also look for any info in the documentation about parental-control options. Talk with your kids about the appropriate use of the device. When your kids do start using it, observe what they're doing. Of course, this advice applies to non-tech gifts as well. Anything -- even educational toys" -- can be overused. You know what they say about "too much of a good thing."

Digital music players, such as the Apple iPod were very popular holiday gifts but before you let your kids run free with them, consider a few caveats. First, make sure they understand the dangers of playing the music too loud. There are some real concerns that many of today's young people may wind up with some serious hearing problems as a result of frequent exposure to loud music via headsets. Even those little ear buds can cause hearing problems if played too loud and too long. Second, be aware of the content on that digital music player. Some of the newer models can also display video and you know what that means. Anything that can display graphics and video can - and will - be used for displaying porn. Apple's iTunes gives you some control over what kids can load into the software or transfer to a portable player, and Microsoft Windows Media Player allows you to control what DVDs can be played on the computer, but if you use these controls, don't get lulled into a false sense of security. They're limited in their scope and they depend on rating systems that are often not used for Internet video and audio. Besides, there are plenty of other tools kids can get hold of that have no parental controls at all.

Digital cameras, camera phones and "webcams" are popular gift items as well. If you give your kid a camera, make sure he or she knows what NOT to do with it. Caution them against taking pictures of themselves or others in inappropriate poses or states of dress or in situations that can be embarrassing. These all too easily can get into the hands (or hard drives) of people you and your kids don't know. Remember that cell phone cameras can be used to instantly post photos and in some cases video to the Internet, even when your kids are away from home.

Be very careful about how your kids use webcams. These small video cameras, that cost as little as $29, are very popular and can be fun to use, but there are documented cases of kids getting into trouble through the inappropriate use of these cameras and even websites that exploit children and teens by paying or otherwise encouraging them to pose in front of a webcam.

A lot of families got game consoles like the Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation or Nintendo Gamecube this year or games and accessories for the consoles they already had. Game consoles are great but there are three reasons to be cautious. For one thing, not all games are suitable for all family members, so parents should look for ratings on the box. If you can't find the box or if it's an online game, you can look up the rating as well as what the ratings mean at the Entertainment Software Rating Board website, www.esrb.org.

Another issue with game consoles is that, in some cases, they can now connect to the Internet, allowing players to interact with each other. This can greatly enhance the enjoyment of a game but there are risks you should think about if your kids are playing a game where they "chat" with other players. Just as with Internet chat rooms, you should know who your kids are communicating with, and they should be cautioned to never give out personal information and to "leave the room" if they ever encounter a person who is rude, overly aggressive or saying things that make your child uncomfortable. Microsoft's Xbox 360 as well as upcoming next-generation game consoles from Sony and Nintendo, have parental control tools that parents can use to limit what their kids can access via the consoles. But with or without these tools, parents should be aware of what your kids are playing. Play the game yourself or, better yet, ask them to let you play the game with them once in awhile (it will be challenging). If they're reluctant to let you play, ask them why.

Finally, be aware of the amount of time your kids are playing games. They're fine in moderation but not if they're interfering with school, family activities, sports and real-life interaction with non-virtual friends.

Other areas of StaySafe already cover PC safety but if your family got new networking equipment, wireless (WiFi) adapters or a new laptop for the holidays, be aware of the added risks. Wireless technology makes it possible to access the Internet from any room in the house, including a child's bedroom. If your kids have access to a laptop and if you have wireless Internet, you need to be aware of how, when and where the technology is being used.

Cell phones, by definition, are of course wireless, and these days cell phones are more than just phones. If your kids got a cell phone this season, it probably has a web browser and the ability to exchange text messages, and it may also have a camera, a camcorder and the ability to watch videos. If so, be aware of what services your kids are using. Talk with your cell phone provider about the types of controls that are available on the services. Most carriers allow an account holder to disallow services on specific phones.

The bottom line is that we're raising a generation of tech-savvy kids who, in most cases, are making good use of the technology that's around them, but remember: You're the parent and you have the right and responsibility to determine how they use the technology.