Don't let your family loose their balance online. (photo by Joe Schlabotnik

Chicagoan Tracy Mooney is the official Cyber Security Mom for McAfee, Inc. she blogs about cyber safety for parents, children and families. An actively concerned parent, Tracy was kind enough to share Internet safety tips with you.

Tracy, how did you become Chief Cyber Security Mom.

I have three children - 18, 12 and 5 years. In 2007, my kids inadvertently downloaded a virus onto our only computer. We had to send the computer to the manufacturer for repairs. It was gone nearly a month. After, I saw an ad that McAfee was looking to do a S.P.A.M. Experiment. They furnished participants with a laptop, asked them to surf the web “unprotected” for 30 days, and let them keep the computer. After my virus experience, I was curious to learn more. Last August, McAfee approached me about taking this role and I jumped at it!  I felt there was a real need for information about Internet safety and parenting.

What do your duties involve?

I write a blog for parents, as a parent, about my experiences and what's happening in cyberspace. I travel to events like C.E.S., Las Vegas or Mom 2.0 Summit, Houston to learn about the latest things parents need to know. I answer emails from parents, talk to the media and sit on the McAfee Consumer Advisory Board.

Do online safety rules change with the age of the child?

When children start with computers, they are usually sitting on your lap and exploring, safely. Their only rule - not to break the computer. As they get older, they need to learn not to share passwords with friends, not to share personal information online and that people in chat rooms are strangers. As teens, they should have learned those rules and more - such as, safe social networking skills, never be rude online and never participate in "sexting" – sending nude or sexually explicit photos or videos on the internet or via cell phone. There's a lot to learn and technology is always changing!

How far should parents go with respecting privacy vs safety?

A very personal choice. I believe kids, as long as they live in my house must follow my rules. They have time limits, rules about which websites allowed. We use a parental online management tool that helps me control content. They have to "friend" me on social networking sites. I try to remember they're kids and bound to make mistakes.  I keep lines of communication open. They know they can come to me if something happens online. They're not afraid they'll be punished. A good tip for parents is, use stories you hear in the news to begin discussions about your family online behavior.

Where can parents find out how to follow and monitor their kid’s activities online?

Parents can find a lot of information on our Family Security Advice Center. My blog has lots of tips; Parry Aftab's blog is more the legal side of being safe online and there is a wealth of information about products to keep your kids safe.

What’s the scariest situation you have encountered?

My Paypal account was hacked. Money was taken from my bank account. Paypal knew before I did--it was mostly a wakeup call. I learned to make sure my passwords were harder to guess. Another incident didn't involve me, but happened near my house. A young girl was being approached via her MySpace page by an online predator. Her mother found out and called the police. The sting took place less than a mile from my home. It made me realize that online predators are everywhere and just because you live in a safe community doesn't mean the kids aren't at risk.

Does McAfee help?

McAfee has a free download called SiteAdvisor.com that will keep your computer safe from sites that contain malware, spam, viruses, etc.  Because it indicates safety levels with a red, yellow or green light next to every return in a Google or Yahoo search, even the youngest kids can use it!

(Tracy's comments were edited, not for content, but in the interest of brevity.)

You can find additional information from Tracy Mooney, Chief Cyber Security Mom, in Five top tips to keep children safe online (Chicago Home Technology Examiner, of course)