Internet Safety for Teens

1. Internet Safety: A Community Approach Internet Safety for Teens

2. Keeping Kids Safe Keeping Kids Safe District Attorney’s Office Parents School Community Library Police Dept. Business

3. Verizon Foundation Our business is centered on technology, so we believe it is our responsibility to be proactive and help people understand how to use the technology of the Internet safely. Verizon Foundation invests in programs and organizations that: • Help law enforcement officers investigate Internet-related crimes against children. • Educate parents and caregivers about measures they can take to help children use the Internet safely. • Teach teens and young children how to protect themselves and avoid putting themselves in danger or breaking the law. • Warn adults about the pitfalls and dangers online. • Thinkfinity, the Verizon Foundation’s signature education site, has compiled a list of resources and helpful linkscreated and reviewed by their content partners on Internet safety to assist teachers and parents to help keep our children safe. Daniel J. Reavy Director, External Affairs Verizon Pennsylvania

4. Traditional Safety Skills

5. The Internet Offers Opportunities People of all ages are: • posting video from mobile devices • building online profiles • texting each other from their mobile devices • creating alter egos in the form of online avatars • connecting with friends online they don’t see regularly in person • sending photos to friends • broadcasting what they’re doing to hundreds of people

6. We All Are Connected

7. Online Risks

8. Talk to Your Teen • Start Early • Create an Honest, Open Environment • Initiate Conversations • Communicate Your Values • Be Patient

9. Teens Like to Socialize • Social Networking Sites • Facebook • MySpace • Twitter • Chat rooms • Virtual Worlds • Gaming • Education • Blogs • YouTube • Texting

10. Social Networks • Facebook • Facebook Safety Center http://www.facebook.com/help/?safety • MySpace • MySpace Safety http://www.myspace.com/help/safety • Twitter • Twitter Help Center (Twitter Basics) http://support.twitter.com/

11. Cyberbullying Talk to your teen about cyberbullying: • Read the comments • Tell your teen not to react • Protect their profile • Block or delete the bully • Help stop cyberbullying of others • Recognize the signs of a cyberbully • Be a model for your teen

12. Cell Phones Sexting – sending sexually explicit messages or photographs 20% of teens (13-19) 39% of Young Adults (20-26) – have sent sexually explicit pictures* 39% of teens and 59% of young adults – have sent sexually explicit messages* *2008 survey of 1,280 teenagers and young adults of both sexes on Cosmogirl.com sponsored by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy

13. Sexting Tips to Share with Teens • Think about the consequences • Never share images of yourself you wouldn’t want everyone to see • Before hitting send remember - these messages can travel • If you forward a picture, YOU too are responsible for the content • Report any inappropriate pictures you receive to an adult you trust

14. Everyone Plays a Role

15. Bucks County Free Library Public Libraries and Internet Safety • BCFL offers free internet access to all. • Customers, regardless of age, are able to obtain a 1 hour guest pass to all aspects of our computer and online services. • Filtering is in place but use is not closely monitored. • Teens flow in at the end of the school day to check facebook, etc.,  and participate in online gaming. • We are beginning to see use of district distributed notebooks within the library.

16. School District Internet Safety in the Schools • Filtering • Acceptable Use Policy • Age Appropriate Instruction • Teachers as Role Model for Students – Classroom Integration • Parent Involvement • Resource for Parents and Students

17. Bridges to Business Security and Use in the Workplace • Cyber Security and Online Purchases • Personal Information • Secure Sites • Credit Cards • Safe at Home and Safe at Work • Passwords and client information • Wi-Fi Hotspots in the Business Community

18. Quakertown Police Department Internet Safety and Law Enforcement • Internet Fraud • Identity Theft • Internet Predators • Sexting

19. Office of the District Attorney THE REAL PROBLEMS • Online Solicitations • Embarrassment, or WORSE • Breaking the Law – and posting evidence • Posting Too Much Information • Home Address • Cell Phone # • 300 Pictures • Details about where you hang out

20. What Can You Do? • Use privacy settings • Review your teen’s friend list • Know what your teen is doing • Discuss what information should remain private • Encourage your teen to talk to you if something feels uncomfortable

21. What Teens Must Learn • Online actions have consequences • What you post is available for all to see • Do not impersonate others • Create a safe screen name • Avoid talking about sex online • Once posted, it cannot be taken back

22. Keeping Kids Safe Keeping Kids Safe District Attorney’s Office Parents School Community Library Police Dept. Business

23. Questions Questions

24. Contact Information • Bucks County Free Library – Quakertown • Edana Hoy HoyE@buckslib.org • Office of the District Attorney • Assistant District Attorney Lisa J. Gaier ljgaier@co.bucks.pa.us • Quakertown Community School District • Chris Harrington charrington@qcsd.org • Rebecca Kelly rkelly@qcsd.org • Quakertown Police Department • Officer Kris Baccari kbaccari@quakertownboro.com • Upper Bucks Chamber of Commerce • Tara King tking@ubcc.org

25. Works Cited “Internet Safety Tips for Parents.” iSafe Inc. 1 Aug 2010 <https://www.isafe.org>. “Net Cetera: Chatting with Kids About Being Online.” On Guard Online: Your Safety Net. 1 Aug 2010 <http://www.onguardonline.gov/>. “Net Smartz Kids.” National Center for Missing and Exploited Kids. 1 Aug 2010 <http://www.netsmartz.org/>. “Online Safety: A Parent’s Guide” New York State – Internet Crimes Against Children. 1 Aug 2010 <http://www.nysicac.org/>. “Stay Safe Online.” National Cyber Security Alliance. 1 Aug. 2010. <http://www.staysafeonline.org/>.