A Fleming Parent’s GuideA Fleming Parent’s Guideto Child Safety on the to Child Safety on the

InternetInternet

Adapted by Kam Purewal Adapted by Kam Purewal June 24,2010June 24,2010

Based on: Responding to Cyberbullying: Based on: Responding to Cyberbullying: A Guide for School Communities by VSB A Guide for School Communities by VSB

&&Original PowerPoint by Brian MetcalfeOriginal PowerPoint by Brian Metcalfe

February 25, 2003February 25, 2003

What do Children do Online?What do Children do Online?

1.1. Research for school projectsResearch for school projects

2.2. Visit Websites- (eg.You Tube)Visit Websites- (eg.You Tube)

3.3. Send and Receive Email Send and Receive Email

4.4. Use Social Networking Sites (Facebook)Use Social Networking Sites (Facebook)

5.5. Instant Messaging (eg.MSN)Instant Messaging (eg.MSN)

6.6. Visit Chat Rooms Visit Chat Rooms

7.7. Play online gamesPlay online games

1. What are Websites?1. What are Websites?

A Website is a page or pages with A Website is a page or pages with information, pictures, video’s and links to information, pictures, video’s and links to download games, music and softwaredownload games, music and software

You Tube is a website anyone can use to You Tube is a website anyone can use to view and post video clipsview and post video clips

Be aware the video clips on You Tube can Be aware the video clips on You Tube can be funny, educational, violent or be funny, educational, violent or inappropriateinappropriate

Always monitor what your child is Always monitor what your child is watching or posting on You tubewatching or posting on You tube

2. What is E-mail?2. What is E-mail?

Electronic mail (e-mail)Electronic mail (e-mail) People can instantly send and receive People can instantly send and receive

information, pictures, and videos to information, pictures, and videos to anyone in the worldanyone in the world

Know all your child’s email addresses and Know all your child’s email addresses and passwords –ensure they use strong passwords –ensure they use strong usernames and passwordsusernames and passwords

Remind them not to give out personal Remind them not to give out personal information online or open emails from information online or open emails from strangers (your identity can be stolen)strangers (your identity can be stolen)

3. What are Social Networking 3. What are Social Networking Sites?Sites?

Social Networking sites, such as Social Networking sites, such as Facebook, , allow allow people to create profiles to connect with people to create profiles to connect with friends and post information, pictures and friends and post information, pictures and video’s about themselves.video’s about themselves.

Strangers can locate and contact peoples Strangers can locate and contact peoples personal information- (Be aware of personal information- (Be aware of cyberbullying and identity theft)cyberbullying and identity theft)

Monitor what your child is posting on their site Monitor what your child is posting on their site and who they accept as friendsand who they accept as friends

Children should never join a site without Children should never join a site without reading the reading the privacy policy

4. What is Instant Messaging?4. What is Instant Messaging?

Instant Messaging or (IM), such as MSN, is Instant Messaging or (IM), such as MSN, is a popular way for people to chat with a popular way for people to chat with friends in real time over the internetfriends in real time over the internet

People create contact lists of friends to People create contact lists of friends to chat with and block people they don’t chat with and block people they don’t know or don’t want to communicate withknow or don’t want to communicate with

Review your child’s contact list with themReview your child’s contact list with them They should never fill out a personal They should never fill out a personal

profile online, anyone can view itprofile online, anyone can view it

5. What are Chat Rooms?5. What are Chat Rooms?

Chat rooms are virtual rooms where Chat rooms are virtual rooms where people from anywhere in the world can people from anywhere in the world can exchange information and ideasexchange information and ideas

People type messages back and forth to People type messages back and forth to someone else with instant responsessomeone else with instant responses

Anyone can log into a chat room and Anyone can log into a chat room and see what others are saying see what others are saying

Don’t allow children to visit chat rooms. Don’t allow children to visit chat rooms. Adults can pose as children to get their Adults can pose as children to get their personal information and contact thempersonal information and contact them

6. What are Online Games?6. What are Online Games?

Online games allow people to play games with friends or strangers anywhere in the Online games allow people to play games with friends or strangers anywhere in the worldworld

Some games allow players to create the characters and the setting of the gameSome games allow players to create the characters and the setting of the game Playing online games can increase chances of internet addictionPlaying online games can increase chances of internet addiction Monitor what games your child is playing and if they are appropriate Monitor what games your child is playing and if they are appropriate

Advice for ParentsAdvice for Parents

Educate yourselfEducate yourself Centralize location of computerCentralize location of computer Monitor your child’s internet useMonitor your child’s internet use Install filtering softwareInstall filtering software Establish ground rules and age Establish ground rules and age

appropriate consequences appropriate consequences VSB Policy ( consequences at school)VSB Policy ( consequences at school) Be aware children can access the Be aware children can access the

internet on mobile devicesinternet on mobile devices

Ground RulesGround Rules

Explain to children that talking to someone Explain to children that talking to someone on the Internet is like talking to a strangeron the Internet is like talking to a stranger

Never give out personal information about Never give out personal information about themselves like name, address, school, themselves like name, address, school, sports team, phone number etc.sports team, phone number etc.

Ask them to inform you immediately if Ask them to inform you immediately if they are asked for personal informationthey are asked for personal information

Never meet with someone fromNever meet with someone fromwhom they have received e-mailwhom they have received e-mail

Sample Internet FiltersSample Internet Filters

Cyber Patrol http://www.cyberpatrol.comhttp://www.cyberpatrol.com• A utility that allows parents toA utility that allows parents to

manage computer use in their householdmanage computer use in their household Net Nanny http://www.netnanny.comhttp://www.netnanny.com

• A utility that allows parents to see and control A utility that allows parents to see and control access to websites and block sites they deem access to websites and block sites they deem inappropriateinappropriate

Cyber Sitter http://www.cybersitter.comhttp://www.cybersitter.com• Gives parents the ability to limit their Gives parents the ability to limit their

children’s access to the Internet children’s access to the Internet

Guidelines for ParentsGuidelines for Parents

A computer is not a babysitter – take A computer is not a babysitter – take interest in what your child is doing on-line.interest in what your child is doing on-line.

Establish rules for going on-line – when, Establish rules for going on-line – when, where and how long they can go on the where and how long they can go on the Internet every day.Internet every day.

Keep the computer in a common room, Keep the computer in a common room, easy to monitor- not in the bedroom easy to monitor- not in the bedroom

Never let children send their photograph Never let children send their photograph or a video of themselves unless it is a or a video of themselves unless it is a friend of the family or relative -with your friend of the family or relative -with your permissionpermission

Guidelines for ParentsGuidelines for Parents (Cont…)(Cont…)

Tell your child they can talk to you Tell your child they can talk to you about what they are doing on-line, about what they are doing on-line, and if anything makes them feel and if anything makes them feel uncomfortable or scared.uncomfortable or scared.

They should never use inappropriate They should never use inappropriate language or bully anyone on-line. language or bully anyone on-line.

Students negative on-line behaviour Students negative on-line behaviour can have in school consequences -can have in school consequences -based on the school code and VSB based on the school code and VSB policypolicy

Guidelines for ParentsGuidelines for Parents (Cont…)(Cont…)

Teach your children that when they are in Teach your children that when they are in cyberspace, everyone is a stranger.cyberspace, everyone is a stranger.

Post Internet safety rules in a visible location. Post Internet safety rules in a visible location. (see handout)(see handout)

Monitor your child’s access on the computer Monitor your child’s access on the computer and mobile devices (cell phones, iphones) and mobile devices (cell phones, iphones) these include web sites, these include web sites, e-mail, chat lines and instant messaging.e-mail, chat lines and instant messaging.

Children should use strong passwords and Children should use strong passwords and usernames that don’t hold personal usernames that don’t hold personal informationinformation

Parent Web SitesParent Web Sites

http://www.cyberangels.org

http://www.getnetwise.org

http://www.safekids.comhttp://www.safekids.com

http://www.bced.gov.bc.cahttp://www.bced.gov.bc.ca

http://www.wisekids.orghttp://www.wisekids.org

Web Sites Worth VisitingWeb Sites Worth Visiting

““Young Canadians In A Wired World”Young Canadians In A Wired World”http://www.cfc-efc.ca/docs/mnet/00002_en.htmhttp://www.cfc-efc.ca/docs/mnet/00002_en.htm

““Illegal & Offensive Content on the Internet”Illegal & Offensive Content on the Internet” http://www.connect.gc.ca/cyberwise/http://www.connect.gc.ca/cyberwise/

Child Find Manitoba & Cybertip!caChild Find Manitoba & Cybertip!cahttp://www.cybertip.ca/http://www.cybertip.ca/

Greenway School – Internet SafetyGreenway School – Internet Safetyhttp://www.wsd1.org/greenway/safety.htmhttp://www.wsd1.org/greenway/safety.htm

Handouts

&

Work Cited

1.Internet Safety Power point by Brian Metcalfe. Feb.23, 2003

2.Responding to Cyberbullying: A guide for School Communities by VSB Jan. 2009. 2nd Edition.