Choosing the Safest Email for Your 12 Year Old: Gmail vs. Hotmail

[Evo]

That sounds wonderful!

 

[Moonbear]

Thanks for all your input everyone. My son has done a good job convincing me to get him hotmail for the antispam features. Athhough he is only 12 he can use logic and reason pretty well and he presents his case well. I think I have a budding litigator! FYI these are the rules he agreed to.
1.
I will not give out personal information such as my address, telephone number, parents’ work address/telephone number, or the name and location of my school without my parents’ permission.*

2.
I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable.

3.
I will never agree to get together with someone I “meet” online without first checking with my parents. If my parents agree to the meeting, I will be sure that it is in a public place and bring my mother or father along.

4.
I will never send a person my picture or anything else without first checking with my parents.*

5.
I will not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way make me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If I do I will tell my parents right away so that they can contact the service provider.

6.
I will talk with my parents so that we can set up rules for going online. We will decide upon the time of day that I can be online, the length of time I can be online and appropriate areas for me to visit. I will not access other areas or break these rules without their permission.

7.
I will not give out my Internet password to anyone (even my best friends) other than my parents.

8.
I will check with my parents before downloading or installing software or doing anything that could possibly hurt our computer or jeopardize my family’s privacy*

9.
I will be a good online citizen and not do anything that hurts other people or is against the law.

10.
I will help my parents understand how to have fun and learn things online and teach them things about the Internet, computers and other technology.

Bravo! I especially like 10. Gotta have a sense of humor when making up rules for pre-teens.