Thursday, January 28, 2016

Internet Safety for Belle Plaine Students

It’s been quite a while since my last posting and one of my goals this semester has been to do a much better job with regular Blog posts about what is happening here at BP with our students and staff.  I also want to use Twitter more to promote the positive and unique learning experiences that occur here daily.

For my first post of 2016, I’d like to focus on Internet Safety, which was something that was a concern recently at BP and should be something all of us are more aware of.  A Juvenile Court Officer I’ve worked with in the past stated to me on numerous occasions that it is vitally important to be aware of the internet activity of your child on a regular basis.  She had experienced first hand the ease in which predators and other individuals can obtain personal information and find ways to make contact with minors they find on the internet.

All parents should routinely check on the internet activity of their kids and look at the social media sites they frequent.  Ask to see you kids Facebook, Snapchat, or Twitter accounts to see who they are interacting with and what the topics are that are being discussed or shared.  Just a few weeks ago there was a Twitter account called the SICL S@#*talkers.  It contained many post about kids from all over the SICL Conference.  When we were first made aware of the site, there were 55 students from Belle Plaine following the account.  Postings were verbally abusive and harassing about many kids from numerous schools.  Thankfully, the site was shutdown, but others have popped up after one is taken away.  Please take the time to look into the Internet habits of your child.

The information below is from a site title WebMD.  It contains some good tips about internet safety for teens.

Teen Internet Safety Tips

Spend much time surfing the web? If you do, you need to be wary of things that lurk on the dark side of the Internet. Not only are there viruses, hackers and spammers -- online predators and a bunch of evildoers are out there just waiting to pounce on teens in the digital world.
You have probably heard of someone’s computer being hacked, his or her identity being stolen online, or even having some embarrassing pictures posted online.
“Nah, it can’t happen to me,” you think. Well, if you use the following Internet safety tips, you have a good chance of being right.
1. Keep Your Online Identity Secret
Don’t tell anyone your real name and address or what neighborhood you live in. Here’s the general rule: Don’t give out any information that a predator could possibly use to find you. The Federal Trade Commission says that even “small clues” like what school you attend or the name of your athletic team is enough for a predator to figure out your identity. You wouldn’t tell some 40-year-old man or woman you met at the mall your name and where you live, would you? So why would you tell CoolGuy985 or HotChick16 from the chat room?
2. Your Username and Password Belong to You … And Only You
Don’t give your username or password to anyone. It's just that simple. What if a friend logs on and pretends to be you, and then says something really awful and gets you in trouble? Sure, it might seem funny to the “former” friend, but it’s serious and it happens everyday. With your username and password, someone can post language that gets you expelled from school, in trouble with your parents, or even in trouble with the law. Keep your name and password private.

3. The Internet has a Great Memory … So Keep Its Memory of You Clean
Just because the Internet is so massive does not mean that embarrassing or risqué pictures, rude or mean comments, or illegal activities will disappear forever. Watch what you post about yourself or others -- or allow your friends to post about you -- because you may have to live with it for a long, long time.

4. Be Good Online … Just Like You Are Offline
Writing “hate” emails, hacking into other people’s computers, illegally downloading music or movies and making online threats are just as illegal on the Internet as they are in the real world. You cannot hide behind a screen name and get away with it. Watch what you write -- because someone else is watching what you write!

5. Be Extremely Careful about Meeting Someone in Person
The FBI gives an all-out blanket warning: “Never meet anyone in person that you meet online.” That said, many teens do make good friends online. You just have to be super-cautious and make sure other people you know and trust also know this “new” online person.
If you do decide to meet the new person, bring your parents with you. All of you meet together in a public area like a mall where there are tons of people around. Ask that the person’s parents come, too. If the situation feels creepy, it probably is creepy! Just like in the real world, trust your gut instincts -- and walk away.
6. Your Parents Are Ultimately Responsible for Minors Online
Even if your parents don’t know much about the Internet, tell them what types of web sites you go to. They will probably be interested and impressed with your Internet skills. They may also help you avoid potential problems if a web site or new "friend" looks sketchy.

Some Extra Words of Caution
Almost Everything on the Internet Is Traceable
Every search, web site visit, online posting and email is registered or recorded somewhere on the Internet. Once you send something out on the Internet, it's almost impossible to take it back. You have to be careful -- not impulsive -- when you write email or go to chat rooms.
People Live in "Fantasyland" Online
Even though someone writes, “Hi, I’m a really cool 15-year-old guy from New York City,” in reality that guy may be a 60-year-old man or even your next-door neighbor. Use scrutiny and caution. 
Your Information Can Be Sold to Others

Every web site has this thing called a “privacy policy.” It will tell you how that web site uses all the personal information about you, like your name. In some cases, though, when you’re not looking, some web sites ignore their privacy policy and sell your email address to other companies. When you open your email one day, you might have 150 spam emails in your inbox as a result. If a web site is asking for too much information about you, take control and leave the site. (Again, would you give this information to some older stranger at the mall? Probably not.)