Chatting with Kids About Being Online :P2P FILE SHARING

P2P FILE SHARING

Some kids share music, games, or software online. Peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing allows people to share these kinds of files through an informal network of computers running the same software. If your kids download copyrighted material, you could get mired in legal issues. Sometimes spyware, malware, or pornography can be hidden in a shared file. Some tips to help your kids share files safely:

  • Install file-sharing software properly. Activate the proper default settings so that nothing private is shared. By default, almost all P2P file- sharing applications will share downloads in your “save” or “download” folder. That’s why it’s important to set it not to. If you don’t set the defaults properly, other P2P users may access files you never meant to share, including personal documents on your hard drive, like your tax returns or other financial documents.
  • Before your kids open or play any downloaded file, advise them to use security software to scan it. Make sure the security software is up-to-date and running when the computer is connected to the internet.