How Can We Help Our Students to Use the Internet in a Safer Way?

1.Benefits 2.Possible Dangers and Risks 3.Available Solutions to Protect Children 4.Control Tools 5.Safety Tips Main Issues

1. BENEFITS OF THE INTERNET You can share wide range of information and opinions. You can communicate with people from different cultures. You have no limits of time or location.

New Opportunities 1.Education : take an on-line course, get some help to do your homework... 2.Leisure : play games, enjoy hobbies... 3.Culture : visit museums, learn about other cultures 4.Economy : do the shopping at a supermarket, order books,records and travel tickets, participate in on-line auctions... 5.Social life : make new friends, socialize with people having same interests

2. POSSIBLE DANGERS AND RISKS Content Contact E-Commerce Legal risks

a) Content Risks Illicit material (child pornography, racism, fraud, illegal drugs, support of terrorism...) Harmful material (pornography for adults, violence, adult language, promoting the use of arms, extremist groups, cults...) Other content-related risks (misleading or false information, source or privacy policy not available, intentional flaming)

b) Contact Risks Internet allows contacts with strangers. In the on-line world you can find the same as in the off-line world (reliable and unreliable people). Someone can surf anonymously (so we cannot find out his/her real name, sex, age, job...). Therefore the Internet is an ideal place for pedophiles and other predators. There are several contact areas: chats, newsgroups, instant messaging, , web pages...

So it is risky... to give out personal information; to establish on-line relationships; to acceed to suggestion to meet someone face-to-face; or to get into arguments (e.g. flaming);  because you may become a victim of »Offending; »Provoking; »Stalking; »Threatening; »Harassing; or »Sexual abusing.

c) Risks of E-Commerce Minors are easily influenced. Children like buying on the Internet. Maladies and risks when doing shopping on- line: 1.Subliminal advertising appealing especially children, 2.Commercial pressures to buy easily (specious offers); 3.Misleading advertising and ambiguous terms; 4.Company’s privacy policy: companies may convey your personal information to third parties; 5.Loss of privacy when revealing personal details; 6.Possible limitations and difficulties to apply consumer protection policy to on-line purchases; and 7.Children buying without parent’s permission.

d) Legal Risks Children may not just be potential victims... Children can also be liable for illegal acts like: 1.being impolite and unpleasant, behaving offensively, committing flaming, spams, troll 2.harming other people deliberately, for example by revealing their personal details, impersonating 3.committing illegal activities (violation of intellectual property rights, threats, cracking)

3. WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS? Raising Awareness by Educating Students Control Tools Walled Gardens Content Rating Hot-Lines for Reporting Self-Regulation Legislation Age Control Systems

4. CONTROL TOOLS NB. Technical solutions, for example filtering software, are not 100 % proof. When applying control tools, the schools/parents must also consider the concept of the freedom of speech.

FILTERS Most popular control tools Restrict the access to sites with illegal and harmful content Filters can be enabled from different locations a) from user’s computer b) from Internet Service Provider’s server. *Not foolproof*

Other Control Tools 1.We can control and preset the time and length of the visit. 2.We can monitor, which web-sites children visit. 3.We can block access to certain sites and services (e.g. chat rooms). 4.We can block the edition or reception of certain information (personal information, publicity). 5.We can use special browsers for children.

Make yourself familiar with the Acceptable Use Policy of your School the Basic Rules of Internet Access in your school the Rules for Safe and Acceptable Use of The Internet Discuss with your students about the Rules for Safe and Acceptable Use of the Internet and the consequences of delibarate violation of these rules. Safety Tips (I)

Safety Tips (II) 8.When faced with a problem, react immediately, for example talk with the student; contact appropriate staff in your school in oreder to report child pornography to a hot- line. prevent such incidents in the future.

Safety Tips (III) 9.Teach your students how to use the Internet in a responsible manner:  How to distinguish between recommendable and harmful content?  How how to use the computer positively and avoid harming anyone?  How to solve possible risks themselves?

Safety Tips (IV) 10.Give Students Safety Tips  Never reveal your personal details.  Never fill in on-line registration forms without permission from adults.  Talk about and introduce new on-line friends.  Leave a chat room immediately when feeling uncomfortable.  Never meet someone met on-line without permission from adults or supervision.  Tell teachers immediately about unpleasant experiences.  Never open messages from unknown people.

Acknowledgement: Fundació Catalana per a la Recerca, SUI Project, Internet Action Plan Núria Quintana