What You Need to KnowAbout Internet Safety

PTA Council

February 15, 2006

Internet is Global

The Internet is a global network of networks

No single country can set the rules

Community standards vary by community

It relies on self regulation

Benefits of the Internet

Instant Communications e-mail, chat, school, club and company web sites

News and Reference every major newspaper now online encyclopedias curriculum

Entertainment movie guides, music, online videos and much more

Commerce Shop, find plane schedules and travel bargains, sell via the

net

Most People Have Good Experiences

Most people do not run into serious problems

There are far more great sites than sites that are inappropriate

There are ways to minimize risk and maximize benefits

You are at a far greater risk in the “off-line” world than you are online

A Computer is Not a Baby Sitter

There are some risksParents and educators must work

with children/studentsGuide students and learn from them

When You’re Online You’re in Public

Kids can communicate with others via e-mail chat newsgroups web pages

Using words, pictures, sound, video

There are some risks

Exposure to inappropriate materialPhysical harm or child missingHarassment

MySpace.Com

A place for young people to blog

Blogs

Personal journals posted on the Internet

Entries posted in reverse chronological order

Each entry contains area of comments from readers

Blogging is social event (gets attention while hiding behind computer)

Teens and Blogs

ProsNurtures social skillsFills need for self

expressionBuilds writing skills

ConsOnline sexual

predator gleans info to create profile of the author

Anonymity can give rise to cyberbullying and slander

Some statistics

About one in five online teens between the ages of 12 and 17 [about 4 million people] has created a blog

A slightly higher number report having a personal Web page

A trend fueled by the availability of free, easy-to-use services like Facebook and MySpace

Pew Internet and American Life Project

From their website:

“Use MySpace to meet new friends, meet a new person and perhaps spark love interest, inform your circle of friends with info on current events, or start an organization or group with people that share the same ideas as yourself. The possibilities are endless and MySpace is a great tool to have.”

How MySpace works

Create a profileInvite your friendsView your friends' profiles... and their

friends' profilesBrowse and search other profilesContact your friends or make new

friends

Why students join MySpace?*

Have funShare photosShare journal entriesMake new friends

*From the MySpace.com website

Concerns -- many students are:

Revealing personal info that can identify them

Pouring their hearts out Posting provocative picturesDiscussing real or imagined sex livesBerating and threatening one anotherRecounting drinking and drug use

What Parents Can Do

How Parents Can Reduce Risks

Make sure children are only exchanging e-mail with people they/you know

Monitor general behavior and attitude Discuss these rules and post them near

the computer as a reminder Remember to monitor compliance with

these rules, especially when it comes to the amount of time your children spend on the computer

Guidelines for Parents/Educators (1)

Never give out identifying information in public message On a bulletin board In a chat room Using Instant Messenger

Identifying information includes:

home address, school name, or telephone

Guidelines for Parents/Educators (2)

Get to know the Internet and any services students use Ask students what they do online Become familiar with all the things that

you can do online

Guidelines for Parents (3)

Place the computer in a family room or other “public” part of the house. Not in a child’s bedroom. Be involved with your child’s use of the

Internet. Surf together Reinforce good habits Have your child teach you!

Guidelines for Parents (4)

Never allow a child to arrange a face-to-face meeting with another computer user without parental permission.

Guidelines for Parents (5)

Never respond to messages or bulletin board items that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, threatening, or make you feel uncomfortable.

Encourage children to tell you if they encounter such messages. Help them understand that it is not their fault Don’t overreact or punish your child for

confiding in you

Game Time!!

HHH website Staff and Human Resources

• Staff Presentations -- Internet Safety

Identify the Bad GuysJust a Chat

What We Are Doing?

What Can We Do?

Internet Safety and Staff

Educating teachers and administrators

Working with teachers to prepare age appropriate lesson plans

Internet Safety and Students

Elementary Level Internet Safety lessons given by librarians as

part of Character Education program

Middle School Level Upcoming advisories devoted to Internet

Safety

High School Level Devoting class periods to Internet Safety

lessons

Student Rules for Online Safety

1. I will not give out personal information such as my address, telephone number, parents' work address/telephone number or the name and location of my school without my parents' permission.

2. I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable.

3. I will never agree to get together with someone I "meet" online without first checking with my parents. If my parents agree to the meeting, I will be sure that it is in a public place and bring my mother or father along.

More Rules for Online Safety

4. I will never send a person my picture or anything else without first checking with my parents.

5. I will not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way make me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If I do I will tell my parents right away so that they can contact the online service.

6. I will talk with my parents so that we can set up rules for going online. We will decide upon the time of day that I can be online, the length of time I can be online, and appropriate areas for me to visit. I will not access other areas or break these rules without their permission.

Report Illegal Material

Child pornography or any other illegal activities directed at children should be reported to the CyberTipline at www.missingkids.com/cybertip.

Resources

HHH website Our District For Families

HHH Community Library http://hhhl.suffolk.lib.ny.us/

Pew Internet and American Life Project Teens and Technology

Disney’s CyberNetiquette Comix (www.cybernetiquette.

(www.ala. disney.com

Librarian's Guide to Cyberspace org/parents/)

Resources

SafeKids.Com (www.safekids.com

SafeTeens.Com (www.safeteens.com)

America Links Up (www.americalinksup.com)

This is a partial listing. You’ll find more at the SafeKids.Com “other sites” link

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (www.missingkids.com)

CyberTipLine (www.missingkids.com/cybertip/)

FBI (www.fbi.gov/kids/kids.htm) nts/

CyberAngels(www.cyberangels.org)

Questions???