Digital Elementary School Kids: Safe, Smart, and Responsible

2 15 Hours a Week 45 Hours a Week Media Today Media Kids today are consuming and creating a lot of media

3 Media today is mobile and user generated

4 Media is about entertainment, education, and socializing 96% of online tweens and teens have used social networking technologies like setting up profiles, blogging, or chatting. In 2007, 24% of U.S. children and teens visited virtual worlds like Webkinz and Club Penguin. By 2011, an estimated 53% will do so.

5 Digital Media: The Possibilities Fun and entertaining Express themselves and be creative Explore their identity Keep in touch with friends and family Social support/instant community Educational oDigital citizenship oLearn about different cultures and ideas oConnect to and collaborate with others

6 Addiction Inappropriate content Cyberbullying Commercialism Strangers/Predators Digital Media: The Perils

7 Addiction Warning signs for computer addiction include: missing meals, losing sleep, dropping activities, skipping showers, and missing homework assignments or school.

8 Inappropriate Content More than 40% of tweens and teens have come across nudity and pornography on the Internet.

9 Cyberbullying 30-40% of kids admit to being cyberbullied, but most kids don’t report their victimization.

10 Commercialism Advertisers will spend $150 million in virtual worlds by 2012, 10 times what was spent in 2006

11 Sexual Predators 7% of online teens who have been contacted by a stranger online say they felt scared or uncomfortable because of the encounter.

12 What can you do to help your kids be safe, smart, and responsible media users and creators?

13 Media Tips: The Basics Embrace their world and keep the lines of communication open Encourage balanced use Keep media out of kids’ bedrooms Have some rules about the kinds of sites they can visit and what they can download Research and review parental controls and privacy settings

14 Teach Internet Safety Don’t share personal information like name, school, age, or address Never send pictures to strangers Keep passwords private (except for parents) Don’t open any mail or content from strangers If something mean or creepy happens, get a grown-up immediately Explain that whatever they put on the Internet is permanent and can be passed along by others to others Determine together who they can “friend” and chat with

15 Cyberbullying… on the receiving end Don't assume your kids will talk to you about being bullied Don't respond Sign off and block the bully Change contact information Save all bullying messages Report bullying to school and company that hosts the site (if a false profile) CYBERBULLYING

16 Talk with your child about why it’s important to treat others with respect. If they wouldn’t say something to someone’s face, they shouldn’t say it through media. Ask your child how they would feel if they were the victim of a cyberbully. Discuss the importance of treating others the way you want to be treated. Explain what could happen (e.g. arrest or a lawsuit) if s/he is caught cyberbullying. Establish rules and consequences. Cyberbullying…on the delivering end

17 Commercialism Point out all the ways that marketers target them: - Surveys/Quizzes - Advergames - Pop-ups - Product Placement Use the coins (in games and virtual worlds) to teach the value of money Talk about how spending is encouraged Tell your kids never to click on an ad or fill out a form without your permission

18 Non-profit, non-partisan Easy-to-use, detailed information on media titles Can sort by age, media type, release date Recommended lists by age and stage News and research Parenting tips and tools Weekly newsletter Common Sense Media

19 Improve the media landscape…. one decision, one family, one community at a time.