In the article titled “Internet safety in parents hands” on the front page of today’s Advocate-Press, I covered Fairfield Police Department Detective Sergeant Brent Maguire’s presentation, “Myspace and Facebook and Friendster, oh my!” to the Coalition Against Drug Abuse (CADA) of Clay County and guests at the Clay County Health Department.

Maguire made a number of good points and gave a number of good tips in his presentation, but for parents seeking to keep their children safe on the Internet and on social networking sites, one point stood out above others: parents should use the Internet with their children.

The corollary to this is that if parents are not computer savvy or are merely not experienced with computers, they should strive to become so. I say this, because your children’s presence on the Internet, is for better or worse, a given.

Maguire’s presentation was an eye opening one, even if I was already familiar with many of his facts (if only in an abstract manner). Trying to look at the presentation through the eyes of a parent, I realized that the Internet can be a frightening, even dangerous place to let your children visit.

Protecting your family is a natural and instinctual response. If you don’t think so, try petting a bear cub. My guess would be that many parents’ gut reaction to some of Maguire’s items, like showing Myspace profiles of local teens he was able to get to join his friend list, would be something along the lines of “My children aren’t getting on the Internet!”

Unfortunately, keeping children off the Internet is not a viable option.

The Internet is used in schools for classes and labs. And children also can very well gain access at a friend’s houses.

Another and perhaps bigger issue: In the long run, do you really want your children to be unfamiliar with the Internet.

In 2009,  in almost all educational endeavors past the high school level, use of the Internet is not only useful, but is largely required. The situation is the same in many fields of employment, perhaps including some that you might not expect this to be the case.

Barring your children from the Internet will cripple their experience and expertise at a time when the competitiveness of American youth needs to be expanded, not restricted.

But my question for parents, are you Internet savvy?

If not, take a class, get involved. Maybe learn a little about computers before you buy one. Nothing is more sure to turn you off of the experience than getting a box that is a pain to use.

Heck, just as you might pay him to mow your lawn, get the neighbor kid to teach you about the Internet and toss him (or her) a few bucks for it. It’ll pay dividends, not only for you, but for your children.

As for keeping your children safe on the Web, a few dedicated folks in law enforcement don’t have the time, ability, manpower or money to watch over your kids as well as you do.

Of course, a good start for keeping your kids safe might be to go to a lecture by Detective Sergeant Maguire or another professional like him. He’s got some real good ideas, but for my money, the best one is that parents get involved and plug in.

Dangerous as it can be at its worst, at its best, the Internet is a tool unlike any other for education, productivity and communication.

And trust me, it’s not just for the kids either. In the end, you might just learn something too.