| |
|
WORKSHOPS > Parent Workshop |
|
The Internet with the World Wide Web, e-mail, bulletin boards, online games, and chat rooms are a far cry from what most parents of today grew up with. The rapid changing technology makes it difficult for parents to "keep up" with the benefits as well as the dangers of the online world their children have access to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Furthermore most new technologies are uncharted territory regarding dangers and benefits concerning our children (even for the "experts").
The first thought parents might have, is to protect their children by not letting them have access to the Internet. This might be easy if they are at the elementary school level. Simply by not having Internet access readily available in their homes, parents feel they can protect and shelter their children from the "dark side". These parents might do a disservice to their children though. Being sheltered from the available technology will only deprive them from many skills that they need to learn and know to be able to function in school, work and society at large. Forbidding access will also make them more vulnerable when (not if !) they are confronted with it. Once children become Pre-teens and teenagers, they will be thrown into a completely unknown online world. In schools, colleges and their friends' homes, they will be tempted and expected to navigate around the online information and dangers.
"I think that the only way to keep your children safe is to keep them offline. Is that true?" |
|
| BE AWARE |
- Children as well as adults have access to inappropriate information
. For example:
- pornography
- hate literature
- violence
- intolerance
- hoaxes
- misinformation
- sites that post instructions to make bombs
- Searching the Internet
- search keywords taking you to inappropriate sites
- rerouting of sites
- URL Domain Names (misspelled or or wrong domain)
- Cyberbullying, harassment, insults, threats
- E-mail, viruses and spyware
- Cyberdating
- Blogs, Social Networking sites and diary sites
- Information overload
- Evaluating website content for accuracy and reliability.
- Recognizing hoaxes
- Plagiarism
- Authenticity
- Internet Lingo
|
|
| PARENTS NEED |
- to be informed
- take a proactive approach
- to set rules
- establish good practices
- know which sites their children visit
- Check your history folder regularly.
- Look into your Temporary Internet files
- know where to report fraud, inappropriate contact with your child
- always keep communication open between your child and yourself
- let their child know that they need to come to them immediately when they feel uncomfortable with something they saw or read online
- avoid responding in a way that blames their child for encountering inappropriate sites. Children should understand that encountering this kind of material is not their fault
|
|
| GOOD PRACTICES |
- Set time limits how often and long your child can be online.
- According to their age, give them more freedom if they have shown that they earned your trust.
- Place the computer in a high traffic area, while keeping in mind that children will access the internet in public places, through their cell phones and at friends' houses.
- Teach you child never to give out their password, not even to their "best" friend.
- Install Spyware and Adware blocking software
- Bookmark appropriate sites that you approve of for your child
- Children should never ever give out:
- Real name (make up a pen name)
- Address
- Phone number
- School
- Place of work
- Landmarks that could reveal their geographic location.
- Where they will going to be at a given time
- Their Schedule (ex. Soccer practice, School, etc)
- Come up with an appropriate penname to be used as an Internet Identity
- Establish an e-mail account with yahoo.com; hotmail.com or gmail.com .
It can easily be deactivated and will not give away your child's location.
- Don't upload questionable content (Photos/Video/Text)
Children should never post (provocative) pictures of themselves and their friends.
- Goggle your child's name regularly. Your child's name might appear through their school
or sports team.
- Remove your entries on sites that lets people find you
- Sign an Agreement of Safe Internet Use with your child
|
|
| |
|
| EYES ON... |
- Upload and watch your own Videos
http://www.youtube.com/
- Next generation of Role Playing Games & Alternate Reality Software
|
| |
| REPORT CYBERABUSE |
|
|
| LINKS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON: |
|
| SAFETY |
- FBI Publication
- Safe Kids.com
Family's guide to making the Internet and Technology
fun, safe and productive.
- NetSmartz
The NetSmartz Workshop is an interactive, educational safety resource to teach kids and teens how to stay safer on the Internet.
- WiredSafety
One of the most comprehensive sites out there.
WiredSafety provides help, information and education to Internet and mobile device users of all ages. We handle cases of cyberabuse ranging from identity and credential theft, online fraud and cyberstalking, to hacking and malicious code attacks.
- ChatDanger.com
a site all about the potential dangers on interactive services online like chat, IM, online games, email and on mobiles.
- BlogSafety.com
Welcome to BlogSafety.com, where teens, parents, teachers and adult bloggers
can learn about the benefits of safe blogging & social networking.
|
|
|
|
|
