Internet Safety a guide for parents

1. Internet Safetya guide for parents Presented by: The Laurel County Technology Department Title I Parent & Community Involvement Title IV Safe & Drug-free Schools & Communities Program Laurel County School District

2. Disclaimer: The Laurel County School District does not guarantee that following these suggestions will provide complete online safety. A certain level of risk exists with all internet use. These guidelines may reduce risks, but the school district accepts no responsibility for a child’s use of the internet outside of school property. Laurel County School District

3. The school district accepts only limited responsibility for student use of the internet on school property, in accordance with school district policies. Laurel County School District

4. The internet is a useful resource for learning, and it also plays a large role in the social life of most children. Being comfortable with computers is a skill that every child will need as they continue their education and seek to enter the work force. Laurel County School District

5. It has many benefits, but it can be abused. Laurel County School District

6. Unsafe Communities • Harm communities (suicide) • Find acceptance from like-minded peers…cutting, anorexia, passing out, etc… • Hate groups Laurel County School District

7. Sexually Related Risks • Pornography • Accidentally accessing • Intentionally accessing • Sexual Activity • Being groomed by adult predators • Seeking sexual hookups with other teens or adults. Laurel County School District

8. Child pornography has become a multi-billion dollar commercial enterprise and is among the fastest growing businesses on the Internet (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, March 15, 2006) Laurel County School District

9. The largest group of viewers of Internet porn is children between 12 and 17 (Family Safe Media, Dec. 15, 2005) Laurel County School District

10. 1 in 10 youth ages 8-18 discovered that someone they were communicating with online was an adult pretending to be much younger. (Polly Klaas Foundation, December 21, 2005) Laurel County School District

11. One third of youth ages 8-18 have talked about meeting someone that they have only met through the Internet (Polly Klass Foundation, December 21, 2005) Laurel County School District

12. Sexual Harassment • Being victimized by or engaging in • Displaying sexual exploits • Posting or sending provocative explicit images. Laurel County School District

13. Chat Room/Messaging Safety Tips… Place the computer in a main living space so the monitor faces OUTWARD so there is no secrecy. This is the MOST valuable thing to do for online safety Laurel County School District

14. Learn to chat yourself so that you understand what it is that your child is doing. Laurel County School District

15. Stress to your child that they need to tell you if they get any weird or upsetting messages while chatting…emphasize that you will not be angry nor will you ban them from the internet. Laurel County School District

16. Set strict time limits for internet chat use and enforce them. Internet addiction is a real thing! Laurel County School District

17. Chat Sites • www.chat-avenue.com • http://messenger.yahoo.com/chat.php • http://www.icq.com/icqchat/ • http://www.aim.com/chats.adp?aolp= Laurel County School District

18. Addictive access and multi-tasking • Social networking addiction • Gaming addiction Laurel County School District

19. PEW Internet Project • 55% of online teens use social networks and 55% have created online profiles; • Older girls predominate Laurel County School District

20. MySpace • Dominates the social networking world • 85% of teens use or update MySpace profile most often • http://www.myspace.com/ Laurel County School District

21. Emphasize that people in chat rooms are ALWAYS strangers, no matter how often you chat to them, and no matter how well you think you know them, and that while they may be good or bad people, they are still strangers. Laurel County School District

22. Emphasize…NEVER tell a person online your real name, your school, phone number, or the town in which you live. Do not give ANY personal information out at all. Laurel County School District

23. Do not permit your child to be left alone in cyberspace for long periods of time. Make sure chat time occurs when YOU are around in the house so you can check on them regularly. Laurel County School District

24. Stress to your child to behave politely and respectfully at all times while chatting online with strangers. Laurel County School District

25. One third of Internet users ages 10-17 were exposed to unwanted sexual material, a 50% increase in the past five years (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, August 2006). Laurel County School District

26. Cyber Bullying Wiredkids Quiz Laurel County School District

27. Cyber Bullying Posting or sending cruel or harmful text or images using any form of digital communication devices. Breaking into an email account and sending embarassing material to others Laurel County School District

28. Cyber Bullying Sending cruel, threatening or vicious messages Creating websites which ridicule others Posting pictures of classmates online and asking others to rate them Laurel County School District

29. Cyber Bullying Engaging someone in Instant Messaging and tricking them into revealing personal information and forwarding that to others Locker room pictures taken with phone camera and sending it to others Laurel County School District

30. Cyber Threat • A cyber threat is online material that threatens or raises concerns about violence against others, suicide, or other self-harm. Laurel County School District

31. Direct threats: actual threats to hurt someone or commit suicide. • Distressing material provides clues that the person is emotionally upset and may be considering hurting someone hurting him or herself or committing suicide. Laurel County School District

32. I SAFE America • 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online • 53% of kids admit having said something mean or hurtful things to another online Laurel County School District

33. 42% of kids have been bullied while online • 58% of kids have not told their parents or any adult about something mean or hurtful that had happened to them online Laurel County School District

34. Cyber Bullying • www.bullying.org • www.cyberbullying.ca Laurel County School District

35. Security Concerns • Infecting a computer with malware • Identity theft • Ebay-buying and selling & your kids Laurel County School District

36. What Can I Do As A Parent? Why parents are out of the loop... Why parents are out of the loop… Laurel County School District

37. Check your History Checking History Settings for History Laurel County School District

38. Check your child’s cell phone • http://www.cingular.com/learn/messaging-internet/messaging/using-text-messaging.jsp Laurel County School District

39. What Can I Do As A Parent? • Set up different login accounts with different restriction levels • Internet Proxy Filtering Software (ie…) • NetMop • CYBERSitter • SnoopStick (from CYBERsitter)-- SnoopStick is a USB flash drive type device that allows you to monitor what your kids, employees, or anyone using your computer is doing while on the Internet. And, you can monitor them live, in real time, from anywhere in the world. Laurel County School District

40. Filtering Software • http://www.chatchecker.com//chatchecker/vendorcybersafety.asp • http://www.snoopstick.com/ • http://www.cybersitter.com/ • http://www.netmop.com/ Laurel County School District

41. What Can I Do As A Parent? Educate Your Child on the Dangers that Exist Online Laurel County School District

42. Laurel County School District