I. Whitby Tech TeamII. Tech Academy MissionIII. Tech Academy SyllabusIV. Food for thoughtV. Tim: Wireless Network Security

I. What is it?II. Why should I care?III. What is the risk?IV. What can I do?

VI. Tim: General Home Computing Best Practices (Review)VII. Nely: Mobile DevicesVIII.Nely: Family AgreementsIX. Questions

I. Whitby Tech Team

Tim SchwartzTim SchwartzTechnology CoordinatorTechnology Coordinator

Nelyda MiguelNelyda MiguelAcademic Technology DirectorAcademic Technology Director

Jason MendezJason MendezTechnology Support SpecialistTechnology Support Specialist Anne Van LeerAnne Van Leer

LibrarianLibrarian

II. Tech Academy Mission

Tech Academy’s mission is to provide parents with practical and balanced information on media and

technology and its use by school age children. The WTC will also facilitate consensus among the Whitby

community as to what media is appropriate at various age-levels, and provide a protocol for Whitby families to discuss their expectations with regards to

their children's use of media.

Chat rooms

WPA

Internet Filters

Avatars

Private Browsing

P2P

Second Life

III. Tech Academy Syllabus

Date* Topic

11/5/09 Administrative vs. Standard Accounts, General overview of Whitby website, Common Sense Media

12/04/09 Wireless Network Security, How your children are communicating beyond the computer

01/08/10 Parental Controls, Web surfing and browser tips, Kids, Media and Health

02/05/10 General Q&A, Review, Guided Discussions on Technology, Open Forum

03/05/10 P2P: What is it and why you should care, Fair Use and Copyright issues.

04/01/10 The Risks of Social Networking; Identity Theft, Cyber bullying, stalking on Twitter, MySpace, Facebook

05/07/10 TBA

06/04/10 General Q&A, Review, Guided Discussions on Technology, Open Forum

*All dates are tentative.

VI. Food for Thought

Definition: Wardriving is the practice of searching for wireless LAN (WLAN) signals within a geographic area. Peter Shipley coined this term. He pioneered the practice of using an automobile, a Global Positioning System, and a mounted antenna to identify unsecured WLANs in neighborhoods.Some computer hackers are content to simply map any open, unsecured WLANs they find.

Others have adopted the practice of warchalking, tagging nearby pavement to allow others to tap in and steal bandwidth from those hotspots.Wardriving is a controversial practice, but it has helped raise awareness of the importance of WLAN security. For example, many home networkers now configure Wireless Encryption Privacy (WEP) on their WLANs to block public access by wardrivers2

2About.com: Wireless/Networking

Definition: Wardriving is the act of searching for Wi-Fi wireless networks by a person in a moving vehicle, using a portable computer or PDA.1

1wikipedia.org:

A map of Seattle's Wi-Fi nodes, generated from information logged by wardriving students1

1wikipedia.org:

V. Wireless Network Security

What is it?

Why should I care?

It is implementing a variety of security measures to protect your home wireless network and the the wireless device itself.

The reason that securing your wireless network is important is because unsecured networks are the equivalent of unlocked doors in a house. An unsecured network poses an unnecessary risk to you and your family, your personal information, your computer and your home network as well as Whitby’s network.

There are many reasons that not securing your home wireless network is considered a risk. Here are just a few examples:

•You can unintentionally provide unfettered access to everything on any computer in your home network to a hacker, your neighbors or people just driving by.

•You are providing free access to the internet to your neighbors or people just driving by.

•You are allowing anyone to conduct potentially illegal activities in your name which you could be held liable for.

Why is there a risk?

"On the night of April 20, 2005, Richard Dinon noticed something strange while taking out his trash. The muted glow of a laptop emanating from an SUV parked outside of his home caught the St. Petersburg, Florida resident’s eye. He walked up to the car and saw a man abruptly close his laptop upon noticing Richard’s presence. Richard returned to his house, and at first dismissed the stranger as perhaps someone performing census work. But when Richard turned on his home computer, he noticed strange icons on his desktop. These strange icons aroused Richard’s suspicion that the man outside may be accessing his computer.....”1

1OHIO STATE LAW JOURNAL VOL. 67:1123

How do I know if my wireless network is unsecured?

Windows Mac

What can I do?

General Best Practices• Do Not Auto-Connect to Open Wi-Fi Networks• Position the Router or Access Point Safely• Turn Off the Network During Extended Periods of Non-Use

*About.com: Wireless/Networking

Where do I start?

http://192.168.1.1

Where do I go for help?

http://compnetworking.about.com/od/wirelesssecurity/tp/wifisecurity.htm

http://news.cnet.com/FAQ-Wi-Fi-mooching-and-the-law2100-7351_3-5778822.html

VI. General Home Computing Best Practices

Use a standard account for everyday work

Turn off automatic login

Always install security updates

Use safe passwords and don’t keep all your passwords in a Word document on your desktop

Enable the built-in firewall especially if you take your computer on the road

Don’t click on links in unsolicited emails

Don’t click on attachment in unsolicited emails

Backup your data

Install and maintain antivirus software

Install and maintain anti-spyware software

Nely

VII. Mobile Devices

• The facts: 2/3 of teens have cell phones• Cell phones are the #1 form of communication

for teens • 70% of teens talk daily with friends on a cell

phone • 60% of teens send text messages daily • More than half of kids ages 8 to 12 will have cell

phones within the next three years

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/cell-phones-tips

VII. Mobile Devices: The Risks and Drawbacks

• Portable and private access to the world – without adults there to monitor what, or who.

• Absence from the present moment.• Potential for irresponsible use. 

– Cyberbullying:  http://www.commonsensemedia.org/cyberbullying-tips– Sexting: http://www.commonsensemedia.org/talking-about-sexting

• Cheating in class: Kids noiselessly text answers to each other.• Texting late into the night.• Expense and a sense of privilege • Downloadable apps can be inappropriate and readily accessible.

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/cell-phones-tips

VII. Mobile Devices: Not all Apps are Appropriate

Apple announced that 13-year-old Connor Mulcahey of Weston, Connecticut won its billion App countdown contest, receiving a MacBook Pro, $10,000 iTunes gift card, an iPod Touch, and a Time Capsule. The App he downloaded to win was Bump, by Bump Technologies, which allows users to bump their iPhones together in order to exchange contact information.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Connecticut-Teen-Wins-1-Billionth-Apple-iPhone-App-Contest-882599/

VII. Mobile Devices: Not all Apps are Appropriate

BumpChat adds excitement to ordinary web-based dating applications since you are meeting people who are mobile in your vicinity. You can be completely annonymous and choose to share your contact information only when you believe the time is appropriate.

We believe the photo sharing element to add another level of excitement in being able to share pictures of yourself, friends, and surroundings to spice up your chats. The iPhone makes it possible for BumpChat to enable the sharing of high-quality pictures with just a few taps.

http://www.bumpchat.com/2009/02/bumpchat-is-now-available-on-apple.html

VII. Mobile Devices: Not all Apps are Appropriate

Apple issued an apology for its "Baby Shaker" App, in which users could "shake" a virtual infant using the iPhone, a day after removing the controversial application from the App Store.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Apple/Apple-Issues-Formal-Apology-for-Baby-Shaker-App-267702/

Apple has a history of pulling applications with sexual or violent content, although applications such as Zombieville USA, a game with cartoon-like graphics in which the user’s virtual avatar bloodily repels zombies with a shotgun, remain downloadable on the site.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Apple-Baby-Shaker-App-Could-Change-Rules-for-Developers-781559/

VII. Mobile Devices: Parent Tips

Elementary Children:• Do they really need it?• Program the phone with display of name of caller• Go over the rules

– Amount of time

– Do not answer calls form strangers– When phone is off

Middle School Children:• Make sure you have the right plan for calls or texts• Work out guidelines for use with your kids• Expense: Share the cost? Explain the bills• Monitor apps, content and time of calls• Be specific about sexual talk and bullying• Establish consequences for violating these rules

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/cell-phones-tips

VII. IM and SMS: D U HAV A CLU?

• Text and IM slang http://www.web-friend.com/help/lingo/chatslang.html

• IM stands for Instant Messaging. SMS stands for simple message service.

• #1 use of the cell phone? Checking the time. #2 is texting. • SMS: Anonymous screen names (SNs)• SMS text messaging is the most widely used data application in the

world. • Your kids send hundreds of messages each week. • Texting includes photos and videos • If you don't have an unlimited text plan, your costs can escalate

quickly. • If you want to know what your kids are saying, learn to text.

http://www.commonsensemedia.org/tech-tip-how-text-message

Slang Quizz – Caution: may shock adults

1. LOL a)  Laugh Out Loud b)  Laugh On Line c)  Lots Of Love d)  Love Of Laughs

2. POS a)  Piece Of Sh*t b)  Parent Over Shoulder c)  Pop Or Soda d)  Porn On Screen

3. BRB a)  Burp! (excuse me) b)  Barely Breathing c)  Bell Rub d)  Be Right Back

4. LMFR a)  Let's Meet For Real b)  Lower Miami Fire and Rescue c)  Looking For More d)  Let Me Freaking Read.

5. pwnt a)  Parent Watching, Not Tonight. b)  Password Not Taken c)  Playing With New Toy d)  Owned

6. ASL a)  American Sign Language b)  Abitrary Small Length c)  Age, Sex, Location d)  A Stupid Lady

Find the quizz and a slang translator athttp://www.noslang.com/

Email Circulating Among Our Upper Schools Students

Hey people, You all know how it feels when you're talking to some one online, and your mom is standing right behind you, reading every word that appears on the screen.Then, of course, the person swears or talks about how much they love you, or they're your crush or something and your mom reads it and tells you to get offline that instant and not talk to that person anymore.Well, what can we do about that?To solve this problem, we have now started the 'code 9' system.In code 9, you simply type the number '9' when your parent or sibling is watching over your shoulder as you type.The person you're talking to will know what you're talking about, and start a conversation on homework or something.When your parent or sibling leaves, type '99' to let the person know that they are gone, so you can begin a normal conversation again.Please send this to everyone you know so that code 9 can go into effect.P LEASE: Copy and paste this. Its so much easier this way. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR†!!

Family Agreements

• Consider sharing with your children• Consider sharing with parentscwho are not here today• As a community of parents, we have more power • They are organizing… we should too• WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR†!!

VIII. Family Agreements

Playdate Protocol• Will the children have access to a

computer, cell phones?– If so, what will they be able to access?

• Will the children watch TV or a movie? – If so, which channels, programs and or

types of movies?

• Is there an adult watching in the room?– If not, will an adult check periodically?

Internet Safety Resources

• Video chatter and IM• YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and other social

networking• Web filters and safety tips for different ages• Cyberbullying• Parent-child agreements• Violence in the mediaCommon_Sense_Media_Internet_Safety_Resources

WHITBY TECH ACADEMY FOR PARENTS

Whitby Tech Academy Pages