Child Safety

Many of society’s predators have begun using the Internet to more efficiently and effectively prey on unsuspecting victims. It has become such a problem that law enforcement agencies are assigning officers to specifically work online flushing out criminals from the cybershadows. The impact on the victims of these predators is devastating, as they struggle with issues ranging from depression and confused sexual identity to self-abuse and loss of life. We all need to accept these realities and proactively address them. Like anywhere else in life today, we have to be alert and aware when online, and we have to teach our children how to handle themselves when online because we will not always be there to help them when they have to handle an unexpected situation. No amount of filtering or controlled access to resources will protect students or prepare them for the realities of working online outside of school hours. These recommended resources should support you in preparing your students and their families for this connected world in which we now live.

Resource Net Smartz       http://www.netsmartz.org/ Net Smartz is an interactive, educational safety resource from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children designed to offer a virtual education on the dangers of working online and the safe practices that can protect us. The Educators link nicely provides the materials you need to get started and the Parents, Teen and Kids links are each tailored to their specific audience. All materials are free. iSafe      http://www.isafe.org/ iSafe is a proactive Internet safety program offering K-12 curriculum to all schools. It provides students with the awareness and information they need to recognize and respond appropriately to suspicious activity online. There is free training offered so that educators can effectively use the free curriculum and support materials in instruction. The lessons do not require more than a quarter to implement. I Keep Safe      http://ikeepsafe.org/ This Flash-based site is sponsored by the Internet Keep Safe Coalition supported by our nation’s governors. It features Faux Paw the Techno-Cat who emphasizes the importance of protecting personal information and avoiding inappropriate places online through storybooks, animated video, and educational games. Teaching materials include ready-to-use worksheets and quizzes. Media Awareness Network                  http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/teachers/ This Canadian site offers excellent materials on a number of topics related to media literacy, with a nice section specifically on Internet safety. The lessons and support materials are excellent, and the parents section offers a nice delivery of facts and information for families. Don’t let the “content cart” fool you; you do not have to pay for resources. The content cart simply helps visitors collect resources they want to print. GetNetWise     http://www.getnetwise.org/ GetNetWise is sponsored by private sector concerns (AOL Time Warner, AT&T, Microsoft and Verizon among them) that families need to be armed with information in order to use the Internet safely. Topics include child safety, email and spam, viruses and hackers and protecting personal information. While written for adults, it covers topics that address issues for K-12 families. Wired Kids     http://www.wiredkids.org/wiredkids_org.html Parry Aftab developed this web site based on her book “The Parent's Guide to Protecting Your Children in Cyberspace,” a landmark publication which combines her knowledge as a cyberspace lawyer with her concerns as a child advocate. The site is very child-centered, with an emphasis on the phenomenon of cyber bullying. The site is currently being redesigned but remains useful during the process. See also http://wiredsafety.org/ to get the big picture on Internet safety. ID the Creep  http://www.idthecreep.com/ Educating students about Internet safety is best done directly with practical approaches to real-life situations. This Flash-based simulation designed with girls in mind offers the chance to encounter suspicious activity online and decide how to respond. The focus is on email, chat and instant messaging and the situations are text-based so as not to be too intimidating to players. Feedback based on choices helps to educate as you go. Teen Angels       http://www.teenangels.org/ Another result of Parry Aftab’s work, Teen Angels is actually designed and presented by groups of teenagers trained by the FBI and local law enforcement on Internet safety. The site includes a blog for discussion, original articles contributed by teen angels, and a handy Chat Translator that offers the definitions of more than 1600 online acronyms – great for adults trying to keep up with chat culture. Safe Surfing with Doug http://www.disney.co.uk/DisneyOnline/Safesurfing/ The pinnacle of Doug’s popularity may be passed, but this site continues to be a useful tool for teaching elementary and middle school students about Internet safety. There are coloring pages, emoticons, simulations, sorties and safety tips. The actual meat of the content could be more developed. The parents’ guide is quick-loading and easy-to-read reference.