how can I protect my daughter from internet

[yackityyak]

My daughter has limited internet time at home and we have put strict measures in place to prevent access to inappropriate disturbing websites (of all natures). However we are finding that many of her friends can access all sorts of awful stuff on computers and phones and have not got the controls that she has. I'm concerned she will be traumatised by some of the things she's seeing as she's quite sensitive, also naturally I want to protect her innocence to an appropriate level for her age (12). Is there anything we can do or is it inevitable that she will have this exposure from friends etc.

The best thing you can do is to teach her that it is ok to refuse to watch things that she doesn't want to watch or read things she doesn't want to read. You cannot keep her locked up in a box forever, but you can teach her to handle the world herself. fwiw I have no restraints on dd's internet but she herself has a shrewd idea of the kind of search words that might bring up the kind of thing she really doesn't want to know about. I don't think 12 is too young to know that there are nasty pornographic and violent sites out there, and nasty people too. In the long run, innocence is no protection, but common sense is.

I feel the same as Cory. Explain to her what it is you don't want her accessing and why. The discussion doesnt have to include graphic detail but 12 is old enough to discuss an outline of what is out there.

This isn't completely new. I am in my 40's and when I was a young teen was subjected to some pretty horrible porn found by mates dumped outside a rubbish tip. My parents couldn't have protected me from that situation which just happened, but if I had been a little more aware I would have been much better equipped to handle the situation.

Teach her to make informed moral judgements about the material and explain that she can always talk to you if something upsets or concerns her.