C YBERSAFETY : S OCIAL N ETWORKING Dr. Deidre W. Evans

K IDS ’ D IGITAL L IVES 94% of teens go online 77% go online at school 75% of teens have a mobile phone Smartphones 8 hrs/day online Half of the time they are awake is online

K IDS ’ D IGITAL L IVES A large majority of teens (72%) have a social networking profile An increase from 61% in 2006 Nearly half (47%) have a public profile viewable by anyone

S HARED I NFORMATION Real age Photos of themselves Contact information Where they live Cell phone number School name/location Videos of themselves and/or friends Birthdate Places where they typically go

“N EW A TTITUDE ” Old School: Private by default; Public by effort New School: Public by default; Private by effort

C YBERSAFETY Students need to understand the link between the online world and the “real” world. Students need to realize that the Internet is not a game or a separate universe; it is real life. Students need to know how to protect themselves against cyber predators, stalkers, and bullies.

WWW W –Who is asking for this personal information? W –What information is being requested? W – Why do they need this personal information?

G ROUP A CTIVITY 1. Identify cybersafety issue(s). 2. Identify mistake(s) made by user. 3. Identify positive choices made (if any) to correct mistake(s) or prevent further harm 4. Give recommendations to improve user’s online experience

S OCIAL N ETWORKING S AFETY T IPS Learn about and use privacy and security settings Keep abreast of changes in privacy policy Protect your reputat ion Once posted, always posted Think before you post pictures

S OCIAL N ETWORKING S AFETY T IPS Be cautious about how much personal information is posted Less is better Be as anonymous as possible Know and manage your friends All friends are not created equal. Group friends or create multiple online profiles

S OCIAL N ETWORKING S AFETY T IPS Be honest if you are uncomfortable with a friend’s post Check comments regularly Remember the Golden Rule Protect your computer Security suite Software updates

S OCIAL N ETWORKING S AFETY T IPS Remember that people aren’t always who they say they are Avoid in-person meetings If inappropriate content and/or behavior is encountered, report it to the site administrator Remove from friend list Block individual from future contact

S OCIAL N ETWORKING S AFETY T IPS Use strong password Be aware of messages that contain links Malware Phishing scam Avoid posting anything that could be embarrassing in the future Recruiters

C YBERSAFETY R EFERENCES s.aspx

Q UESTIONS /D ISCUSSION