INTERNET SAFETY RISKSSituations and behaviours that make you feel uncomfortable:
› Material that is sexual and/or violent
› Material that espouses hateful attitudes or that are repulsive
› Harassment, Cyberbullying, threatened, being “hit "onPutting yourself in physical danger:
› Someone may hurt or exploit you or someone in your family because of info that you post online
Putting yourself and your family in financial danger:
› Someone may obtain private info about your family
The Web:
› Websites often ask you for info about yourself and may even entice you to provide information in exchange for sending you a promotional item or entering you in a contest
› When you enter info on a web site, you are giving up a little bit of your privacy. At best your name could be entered into a database and at worst, your info could be used to harm you or your family
› Remember, anyone, including criminals can set up their own websites.
› Downloading info from a website can lead to spamming (unwanted advertising), some software that you download can track what you’re doing on line and can plant viruses
› Don’t post private info on a website
Chatrooms:
› These let you engage in a live conversation with people around the block or around the world
› There are different types of chatrooms, some are public and some are private. some have a moderated speaker or chaperones
› Remember: what you type is immediately displayed and you can not take it back
› Remember: you may not know who is there - sometimes chat rooms are used to exploit people - people do not necessarily tell the truth about who they are
Instant Messaging:
› A way to stay in touch without having to wait for someone to respond to your email
› Be careful who you are “IM-ing” with.
E-mail:› Increasingly, people and companies are using email to send out messages to thousands of people at a time, encouraging them to buy something (spamming)
› Each email message that you send and receive contains a return address. This return address can be fake
› Delete email from someone you do not know - don’t open attachments, they could contain viruses. If you respond to spam, you are verifying a valid email message to the sender
Peer-to-Peer (P2P):
› These systems make it possible for people to exchange files without necessarily having to go through a website or other centralized system (ie. Napster prior to re-emergence)
› Often these services have been used by child molesters to exchange illegal images of children
› These may invade your privacy and slow down your internet access
› Some have spy ware programs
› Be very careful about what “permissions” you give it when you set it up.
Newsgroups, Forums, Bulletin Boards:
› Places where you can read and post messages or download or upload files. These are not in real time.
› If you post a message it remains on the newsgroup for anyone to look at later so be sure not to post anything that reveals info about yourself
› Remember that posting something makes your email address public
INTERNET SAFETY FOR TEENSDON’T GIVE OUT PERSONAL INFORMATION ABOUT YOU OR YOUR FAMILY SUCH AS:
› Your real name - use a nick name that does not identify you
› Your address, phone number or the community you live in
› Where you go to school or work
› Where your parents work
BE AWARE THAT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT BE WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE:
› When talking with others in chat rooms, remember that not everyone is who they say they are. You might think you are “talking’ to a 14 year old boy and instead, you may really be chatting with a 40 year old man.
BE CAREFUL WHO YOU TALK TO ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS
› You might find it easier to talk about your problems with an Internet friend, however you do not know who they really are. They could be gaining more info about you in order to gain your trust. If you have personal problems, talk to someone you will be meeting face to face, like a school counselor, your parents, good friends, etc.
DO NOT GIVE OUT ANY KIND OF FAMILY FINANCIAL INFO INCLUDING:
› pin numbers
› credit card numbers
› SIN numbers
› the name of your family’s bank
Note: do not purchase anything online without asking your parents first - they should have an “online credit card” that has a very low limit for online use only.
DO NOT MEET ANYONE THAT YOU MET ONLINE
› Especially without your parents knowledge. Have your parents go with you to the meeting and make sure that you meet in a public place and stay in the public place. Do not go anywhere alone with someone you met online.
DO NOT SEND PICTURES OF YOURSELF ONLINE
› If you don’t know the person - do not send them your picture
FOLLOW YOUR PARENTS RULES FOR ONLINE ACTIVITY
› Stay out of adult only sites.
IF YOU RECEIVE UNWANTED MATERIAL ONLINE OR ARE BEING HARASSED:
› Tell your parents immediately.
› Inform your internet service provider.
› “Block” the email coming in.
› DO NOT reply to obscene material.
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE
› If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Be careful if someone offers you something “for nothing”. Note that you need to provide personal information to enter “contests” etc. Finding out who you are may be the reason for the offer.
DO NOT REGISTER YOUR “PROFILE” ON WEBSITES - THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
INTERNET SAFETY TIPS FOR PARENTS BECOME MORE COMPUTER LITERATE:› Spend time online with your children to explain appropriate behaviour and rules for the Internet.
› Know how to use the Internet yourself.
› Consider using online services with special child/youth accounts that have restricted access to chat rooms on the Internet.
› Choose an Internet provider that can give you information and access to other parental control features such as blocking or filtering software. These tools will help prevent children from accessing adult material, or sites containing key words.
› Frequently check your Internet program’s ‘History’ folder to see what sites you’re your child is using to make sure that he or she is not receiving, accessing, or sending inappropriate material. You could also check the ‘Favorites’ folder on Internet Explorer or ‘Bookmarks’ on Netscape.
› Share or have access to you child’s e-mail so that you can monitor his or her mail.
› Make sure that you are present when your children are in private chat rooms. Monitor their communications. Make sure that the computer is in a common family room. If the computer is in a child’s bedroom, it is difficult for you to monitor.
CAUTION YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT GIVING OUT PERSONAL INFORMATION ONLINE:
› Encourage your children to use “pen names” (that don’t identify them) when on the Internet, instead of using their real names.
› Do not fill out “online profiles” that can provide information about where to contact your children (these “profiles” are becoming very common)
› Ensure that your children do not give out personal information such as your address, place of work, home, work or cell phone, or the name of the school they attend.
› Make sure that they never give out credit card or personal identification numbers, SIN’s, bank or credit card information to anyone - online or not.
› Supervise all online purchases - obtain a low limit credit card to use only for online purchases.
SET GUIDELINES FOR FACE TO FACE MEETINGS REQUESTED BY ONLINE “FRIENDS”
› Never allow your children to arrange face-to-face meetings with any other computer user without getting your permission. If you do agree to permit a meeting, go with your child and stay with your child throughout the meeting. Insist that your child leave the meeting with you. Only go to public places. Do not go to private, out of the way places.
DEALING WITH OBSCENE OR THREATENING MATERIAL:
› Ensure that your child knows to delete any email that has an attachment from someone they do not know personally. These attachments often contain viruses and obscene material. If your child receives obscene or threatening material, contact your Internet Service provider. If it continues, contact the police.
› Be aware of ‘cyberbullying’ - some youth are using “msn” chatlines and email to spread rumors and gossip and to threaten other youth. Have your child print a copy of the threats and contact the school or the police.
PROMOTE OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR CHILDREN:
› One of the tactics used by pedophiles and other people who misuse the Internet to exploit children and youth is to befriend lonely or troubled children and youth online and try to gain their trust.
› Talk openly with your children about what material is inappropriate or obscene. Ask your child to tell you at once if they receive or see any inappropriate or obscene material.
MONITOR THE TIME YOUR CHILDREN SPEND ON THE INTERNET
› If your child changes the screen or turns off the monitor when you enter the room, they may be viewing inappropriate content online.
For more information on Internet Safety for families, please contact:
