E-safety Technical Advice for Parents Nick Hockin Information Manager, Priory School January 2013

What we’ll look at... Proxy Servers Facebook Ask.fm Parental Controls Viruses and Malware Where to get help

Proxy Servers A proxy is a “go between” website designed to bypass internet filtering 1000s exist and new ones are created daily Not always obvious in internet history –may not have “proxy” in their address –may have an innocuous name Be vigilant –has your child suddenly stopped complaining about parental controls? –are they happy to show you their Favourites? –have they logged lots of visits to an oddly named site?

Facebook 1 : Some gentle reminders for your children Facebook is a data-mining business, not a gift to the world! It’s meant for over-13s (so is YouTube) –if you’re under 13 you’re not breaking the law but you are breaking Facebook’s Terms and Conditions –lying about your age to register is a dangerous online habit to get into Be careful what you post –it’s often checked by colleges and employers (and scammers) –it’s like any other site where things can be uploaded - you should only put something on it that you’d be happy for the whole world to see, forever! (its own T&C blur the distinction between owning and using)

Facebook 2 : Staying safe Make sure your child’s privacy settings are carefully set –click Privacy Settings on the main menu to adjust –younger children should use the Friends Only setting –every item has a dropdown Privacy menu to quickly show who can see it (the default is set in Privacy Settings and you can also add your own lists) –use the View As... button to check how your profile appears to friends or public Choose a strong, unique password –use numbers, symbols and mixed case e.g. 3BM,shtr! Use a cartoon as a profile picture Are your child’s Friends their real-life friends? If your child receives an abusive message –Minor : un-Friend the abuser –Major : remove the comment and report the abuse –this will also block that user (i.e. you’ll be mutually invisible on Facebook)

Facebook 3 : Getting more help The Facebook Family safety centre ( is quite comprehensivewww.facebook.com/safety –but actual settings are sometimes covered better by other guides e.g. Sophos (online) or Hilden Oaks School (downloadable from our website) Facebook’s privacy “features” often change – if they do, check your child’s existing settings again as sometimes they’ll be reset back to very public defaults –they can be persuasive about benefits – beware! –some guides make a point of keeping up with changes Install the ClickCEOP app

ask.fm Q & A website hosted in Latvia Allows completely anonymous questions to be posted to users Tightly integrated with Facebook –when users sign up they can use their Facebook credentials –there’s a Facebook app this funnels all content into Facebook making it even more public Has no mechanism to report abuse Increasingly used for bullying and grooming Best avoided altogether, even by keen FB users

Parental Controls Windows –has parental controls built in –make sure you are the only administrator! –Windows Live Family Safety is a useful online extension offering simple filtering and logging (you can even check it remotely) Mac OS X –also has parental controls built in including simple filtering and logging Check your existing security software – it may have parental controls available –and check your ISP – e.g. BT provide a package for their broadband customers

Viruses and Malware Modern viruses are sophisticated –e.g. stealing your banking passwords, “ransomware” Antivirus software –e.g. Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky –Macs aren’t immune –make sure it’s up-to-date (not just a trial that’s run out) –good free products : Avast for Windows, Sophos for Macs Preventing malware –beware of “scareware” – ignore or block “popups” – and watch out for another scam : fake support calls –MBAM for Windows is recommended and free Keep your computer up to date Make sure your wireless is secure –it should be encrypted already (ask your ISP if unsure) –your router can probably be set to only allow your computers

Where to get help Websites –CEOP and Think U Know –Priory website (Help and Support > Safety and Security) –KnowTheNet includes some very useful online tests Handouts tonight –Know IT All CD : Top 10 Tips –Useful links

Finally... Some guidelines for parents : –remember internet access is widespread (mobiles etc) –try to keep computers in shared family areas –establish some ground rules non-internet related sanctions are sometimes best –set an example by showing concern for your own privacy –emphasise the positive side of the internet –let your child use you as an excuse to save face! –software is not the main answer Some guidelines for children : –don’t give out your personal details online –use strong passwords –don’t meet up with people you meet online without an adult –tell someone if you get bullied or feel uncomfortable block the abuser, don’t respond, keep a copy of any messages –strangers online = strangers offline Talk to each other!