Another Christmas has come and gone, leaving in its wake a host of new gadgets for your family. From the iPad to Xbox to the new TV in the family room, nearly everything these days includes Wi-Fi, with the ability to surf the web or chat with others. Our kids are more tech-savvy than ever, and, in some cases, more tech-savvy than we are. But how safe are they?

For residents of Faulkner County, the mention of internet safety often recalls the story of Kacie Woody. In 2002, Kacie was taken from her home in Holland, a small community outside of Greenbrier, by a man she met online. At only 13 years old, she began communicating with someone in a Christian chat room, a person who she believed to be a teenager. In reality, she had shared her address, phone number, picture and other personal details with a 47-year-old predator.

That December, while Kacie’s father was working a shift at the Greenbrier Police Department, her brother left his teen sister home alone briefly to visit the UCA library. When he returned, Kacie was missing. A Morgan Nick Alert was issued. The search for Kacie continued until the following day, tragically ending when she was found in a storage unit in Conway. Her abductor, who had traveled from California to Arkansas solely for Kacie, had taken her life and then his own.

December 2012 marked the 10-year anniversary of that day. To celebrate her life and keep her memory—as well as her cautionary story—alive, friends and family gathered at the Greenbrier High School football field for a memorial. A beautiful display of paper lanterns lit the night sky and floated away.

In the decade since his daughter’s death, Kacie’s father Rick Woody has traveled the country sharing her story. He formed the Kacie Woody Foundation and has appeared on shows, including Geraldo and The Tyra Banks Show, as well as major networks like Discovery and Nick News. He’s spoken to students and parents, always emphasizing the need for internet safety.

So how do we keep kids safe online when children can access the internet in so many different ways?

“The problems and challenges are the same as they were 10 years ago,” Rick says. “It’s just that much harder because it’s everywhere now. Cell phones, handheld games. It’s not just computers anymore.”

The best solution? Involved and educated parents.

Rick recommends parents take the following steps to protect their children:

Research devices and parental control settings before giving them to your child. Most gadgets have various settings to restrict web access and disable Wi-Fi or messaging features. Know what options are available and how to set them up properly. Keep the computer in a public area of your home and routinely look at portable devices to make sure they are being used safely.

Have an “open door” policy with social media. If you feel your child is mature enough for a Facebook account, set it up for them. In doing so, lock the account down to strict privacy settings. Choose an email address you monitor for alerts and notifications to be sent. Make it clear to your child that you will have their password and monitor their account as you see fit. Follow through.

Use good judgment yourself. Be cautious with your own posts to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Sharing photos and information about your child on your own account can be just as risky. Carefully consider your own security settings and criteria for adding friends. If you use social media for business or in other ways where anyone can follow you, do not use the same account to share family details.

And, of course, nothing is more valuable than frank discussions with your child about the dangers online. If your teen or pre-teen doesn’t seem to be taking it seriously, Rick suggests they read “Caught in the Web,” the full account of his daughter’s tragedy. Finally, don’t be afraid to pull the plug if your child isn’t following the rules you’ve established.

When used properly, the internet can be educational and fun. With parental involvement and guidance, it can also be relatively safe.

For more information and helpful tips on safeguarding gadgets and accounts, visit BeWebSmart.com.