1. Kara LaRose, School Counselor Willow Dale Elementary School
Internet Safety
Kara LaRose, School Counselor
Willow Dale Elementary School

2. Statistics Over half of 11 and 12 year olds visit chat rooms
Half of them visit adult chat rooms
1 in 5 children who go online are sexually exploited
61% of 13- to 17-year olds have a personal profile on a site such as MySpace or facebook
Older teens (16-17) and girls especially use the internet for social interaction, meeting friends, and networking.

3. Statistics
71% reported receiving messages online from someone they don’t know
45% have been asked for personal information by someone they don’t know
30% have considered meeting someone that they’ve only talked to online
14% have actually met a person face-to-face that they’ve only spoken to over the internet (9% of 13-15’s; 22% of 16-17’s)

4. Internet Uses Email Chat rooms IM’ing
Social networking (myspace, facebook, club penguin)
Web cams

5. Chat rooms A place online where people can chat in a large group.
Usually organized by categories or interests
Private chat rooms may have only 2 or 3 people
People feel anonymous and may write things they wouldn’t normally say.

6. Instant Messaging (IM’ing)
A form of instant communication on the computer
Can IM with one or more people at a time
Can create contact lists
Ability to block people you don’t know or don’t want to communicate with.

7. Social Networking Sites
Facebook
Myspace
Club Penguin (Disney)
Twitter

8. Social Networking Sites
Information is public
Privacy settings
Posting pictures on the sites
Sharing passwords
Protect personal information

9. Cyberbullying
The use of internet or cell phones to bully others by rumors, gossip, posting pictures, or threats.
Girls are twice as likely to be cyber-bullied than boys.
Because there is not face to face contact, the bullying behavior can become more damaging then when done in person.

10. Cyberbullying www.adcouncil.org Click on Health and Safety
Click on Cyberbullying
Click on “The Kitchen”
Click on “The Talent Show”

11. Ways to Protect Your Child
Supervise/monitor their computer use
Talk with your child about the dangers of the internet
Keep personal information safe
You don’t always know who is on the other end of the computer
Whatever is posted online makes a digital footprint and it may never be deleted.

12. Go online together
Go online with your child and ask them to show you the sites they go to and what they do online
Help your child develop usernames that do not reveal their real name or any personal information (birthday, age, sex, etc.)
Know what sites they are using
Make sure they are not clearing the webpage history and check the history

13. Rules and Guidelines Develop computer use and rules
Set time limits (duration and time of day)
Most inappropriate chat happens between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. when kids are unsupervised.
Avoid chatting with strangers
Must report to a parent any pornography or concerning chats/IM’s, etc.
Create a computer use contract with your family

14. Monitor Computer Use
Put your computer in a common area in your house (NEVER in a bedroom or unsupervised area)
Visit websites your child has viewed
Become familiar with how to navigate the internet
Monitor cell phone use including calls, texts, and pictures

15. Learn the Lingo LOL – laughing out loud POS – parent over shoulder
L8R - later
BBS – be back soon
PIR – parent in room
SN – screen name
DIKU? – Do I know you?
G2G – got to go
IDK – I don’t know

16. Blocking programs Net nanny PC Tattletale Internet Filter Surfwatch
Safesurf
X-stop
Cyber Patrol

17. If your child is being harassed online…
Save a copy of the message
If appropriate, report to the school and other parent(s) involved
Report misconduct to your internet service provider (ISP)
Make a report to CyberTipLine via
If necessary, report to the police

18. Resources www.netsmartz.org www.netsmartz411.org www.ikeepsafe.org
– Click on Frontline to watch a video called Growing Up Online (approx. 60 minutes for adults)