• The Internet is a PLACE, not a THING...
     
    Communicating via text, email & Chat is still communication...
     
    The way we treat people online should be the same as the way we treat them face-to-face...
     
    Even though the world has changed, the things that are important are still the same...
     
    ...we want our children to be Safe, Healthy, & Happy!
     
    Awareness = Education
     
     
     
    Training
     
    Family Online Safety Institute - http://www.fosi.org
    • Appropriate Sites
    • Digital communication
    • Passwords
    • Privacy-settings & Posting
    • Internet/Tech Security
    • End User Agreements
    • Permanence/Distributability
    • Social Networking vs. Productivity
    Parents/Adults model appropriate behavior - as well as balancing time spent online & offline - and point out [in]appropriate behavior.
     
     
     
    Safety
     
    • Net Nanny
    • Webroot
    • Barracuda
    • Puresight
    • Cybersitter
    • Safe Eyes
    • Cyber Patrol
    • McAfee
    • OnlineFamily.Norton
    • FilterPak
    • Inview
    • x3Watch
    • bsecure
    • Opendns
    • Webtitan

     

    What must Parents & Adults do?
    • Help make tech use SAFE - have a basic understanding of what is/isn't safe.
    • How to create boundaries - Software utilities, Search engine restrictions.
    • Spend time WITH children - while they explore technology, communicate digitally with others, encourage them to nurture their curiosities and explore further.
    • Help children as they create and engage in online friendships.
    • as children become more capable ("mobile"), support their exploration while still regulating HOW & WHERE children explore.
    • Discuss navigationing places where adults also spend time - Safety, Appropriateness.
    • Decide when professional training is necessary.
    • use of open technology is monitored & introduced incrementally - safety for self & others.
    • Have youth demonstrate "mastery" before unsupervised use is permitted - Restrictions to when & where still apply.
    • Discuss Laws & Accountability.
    Discuss & prepare teens for private, always-on communication lifestyle and responsibilities.
     
    Parents & Adults spend considerable amounts of time monitoring, educating & preparing children BEFORE leaving them to their own "devices".
     
    Therefore, we must take the same approach when preparing children for safe productive lives while navigating the digital world.
     
    Much more should be done BEFORE we put technology into our children's hands, regarding ADULT EDUCATION & personal monitoring, protection, guidance & facilitation.
     
     
     
     

    Credits and Sources: Thanks to Reggie Cajayon from the Texas School Safety Center for providing the material and videos for this webpage.