There's no question that the Internet is not the safest place for children.

While it has proven itself an effective research and communications tool, it also opens the door to a world of sleaze and crime, from sexual predators to online bullies and pornographers.

Utahns have special reasons to be concerned about Internet safety. The state leads the nation with two-thirds of households having computers and half of those machines hooked up to the Internet.

Some people think the solution lies in legislation, such as the federal laws that require Internet filters on library and school computers, or the local legislative efforts to create a database of offensive Internet sites. Those approaches, while well-intentioned, have logistical as well as constitutional flaws.

But one group is taking a more practical approach. NetSafe Utah is a partnership funded by the state's Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice that includes the Utah Education Network, the University of Utah's College of Education, the state Office or Education and other groups.

It's method of making the Internet safer is through education, specifically teaching parents about online perils and showing them what to do to protect their own children.

NetSafe Utah recently put on a television program showing parents some of the common dangers of the Internet and the steps they can take to make their families safe online. It also highlighed industry and government efforts. NetSafe Utah offers classes through the University of Utah in which parents can become more computer savvy.

This is a far better approach than attempting to legislate Internet content. An online predator could be operating beyond the reach of the law, often in another country. And there are First Amendment issues with the regulation of online content. Unfortunately, one man's filth is another man's constitutionally protected expression.

Educating parents, and in turn children, is the more effective way to deal with the problems. Parents, not bureaucrats, are in the best position to know what is appropriate for their children to see online, and can pick the best means to screen undesirable material.

Families who know what to look for can best avoid online pitfalls and are in a better position to alert police to online predators before someone gets hurt.

Unlike regulation, teaching about the Internet can bring parents closer to their kids as they sit down and discuss safety rules. It could even lead to families exploring cyberspace together and taking advantage of the benefits of the Information Age.

For more information about NetSafe Utah, go to www.netsafeutah.org.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A5.

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