Internet Safety For Kids & Their Parents Sgt. Deb Newsome Canton Police Crime Prevention

What is the Internet? A global network connecting millions of computers together Connections are made through telephone lines, cable lines and satellite dishes (wireless connections) Includes WWW (World Wide Web), E-mail and Chat

Internet: The Benefits Instant Communications Web sites, E-mail, Instant Messaging, Chat Opportunities for learning Immediacy – no waiting for books to be printed Anything you want to know is on the ‘net’ Who needs a Library, Right ? WRONG !! Business On-line shopping, travel bargains, consumer comparisons, stocks, news, and advertisements etc. Entertainment Movies, music, games, news, blogs, videos, gambling

The Information Age Today is the “Information Age” Youth culture includes: Internet Cell phones Social Interaction, text messaging My Space and similar sites

The Internet, is it Dangerous? Viruses Unsolicited e-mail (Spams & Scams) Inappropriate material Pornography, pedophiles, propaganda (half truths sounds too good to be true??) Loss of privacy Identity theft Hackers (My Space / Email) “They” become you, post or send unwanted messages from your site.

Social Networking Sites My Space Social networking sites allow you to express yourself and keep in touch with friends by exchanging messages or comments and posting personal profiles describing who you are and your interests, blogs or online diaries, photos, creative writing, artwork, videos, and music. Instant Messaging (IM) and sharing online profiles are popular forms of social networking.

“MY SPACE” Never put your personal information on “My Space”. Birthday, address, telephone #, full name, name of your school or school team, or your friend’s name You could be tracked, stalked and followed by the personal information you provide on your very own site (s) Only add people as friends to your site if you know them in person. Never meet in person with anyone you first “met” on a social networking site. Some people may not be who they say they are.

“MY SPACE” Don’t respond to angry, violent, or any messages with a sexual content . Delete or Block them and immediately tell a trusted adult & the Internet Provider Always remember what you post online is not private. Parents, teachers, coaches, employers, and admissions officers may go online and find out things about you – from your profile, or from someone else’s. Some teens have lost jobs, admission offers, and scholarships because of information posted online. Cyber Bullying / Form of Internet Harassment

Cyber Bullying Electronic messages containing mean, insulting, harassing, threatening, or intimidating messages Sent via email, text messaging, instant messaging, web pages or blogging (Internet diary / my space) It can escalate to a criminal charge Unwanted, unwarranted, uninvited, and unsolicited contact by one person to another. IS STALKING / AGGRAVATED STALKING

If you become a victim of Cyber Bullying Notify a trusted adult immediately (parents, teachers, counselors, police) Tell the person to stop immediately or you will contact the police department Print and save all electronic communications of the offense (this includes your computer archives / chat logs) Contact your local Police Department

If you are the Cyber Bully Stop Immediately: It is not cute or funny and you can and probably will get into trouble with the law, school, or your parents Remember, your computer has a brain and a memory which is retrievable . You may think it is erased and gone, but it is not !!! IT IS RETRIEVABLE Good Rule of Thumb: If you would not want your parents or grandparents to see what you wrote – DO NOT write it.

Are Chat Rooms Dangerous? Remember you cannot see or hear the person so it is very easy for someone to misrepresent him or herself Someone indicating that “she” is a “12 year old girl” could in reality be a 40 year old man or worse

Online Predators Dateline NBC Hidden Camera Investigation NYC 2004 — had 18 men show up in 2 ½ days Washington DC 2005 – 19 men in 3 days Southern California 2006 – 50 men over 3 days

WHAT TO REPORT Anyone you don't know who asks you for personal information, photos or videos. Unsolicited obscene material from people or companies you don't know. Misleading URLs on the Internet that point you to sites containing harmful materials rather than what you were looking for. Anyone who wants to send you photos or videos containing obscene content of individuals 18 and younger. (The possession, manufacturing, or distributing of child pornography is illegal.)

WHAT TO REPORT Online enticement for offline sexual activities. (No one should be making sexual invitations to you online – and it’s an especially serious crime for adults to do it.) If any of the above happens to you or a friend, tell an adult you trust and report it to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline.

Internet Safety Web Sites http://www.cyberangels.org http://www.getnetwise.org http://www.safekids.com http://www.wiredsafety.com http://www.blogsafety.com http://www.netsmartz.org http://www.protectkids.com http://www.parenting.org

Web Links / Advertisements Missing & Exploited Children Can You Spot the Creep Game http://www.idthecreep.com/ Audio Message Missing Exploited Children http://tcs.cybertipline.com/psa/Click_60.mp3 http://tcs.cybertipline.com/psa/Ding_60.mp3 Television Message http://tcs.cybertipline.com/psa/Everyone_60.mov http://tcs.cybertipline.com/psa/BulletinBoard_60.mov http://adcouncil.wmod.llnwd.net/a540/o1/adcouncil/tv/online_sexual_exploitation/ose_places.wmv

Questions ?