Internet Safety for High School Students

Internet Safety for

High School Students

A Guide to Being Safe Online

By: Julie Deen

Learn the Basics of Internet Safety

Children use a variety of online services, and each of these services can have different safety concerns. However, there are some basic tips which you can employ no matter how your children use the Internet.  

• Keep the computer in a high-traffic area of your home.
• Establish limits for which online sites children may visit and for how long.
• Remember that Internet technology can be mobile, so make sure to monitor cell phones, gaming devices, and laptops.
• Surf the Internet with your children and let them show you what they like to do online.
• Know who is connecting with your children online and set rules for social networking, instant messaging, e-mailing, online gaming, and using webcams.
• Continually dialogue with your children about online safety.

Internet Safety Pledge:

I WILL THINK BEFORE I POST. I agree not to post information and images that could put me at risk, embarrass me, or damage my future, such as

• cell & home phone numbers
• home address
• sexual messages
• inappropriate pictures and videos

I WILL RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE ONLINE. I will not

• post anything rude, offensive, or threatening
• send or forward images and information that might embarrass, hurt, or harass someone
• take anyone's personal information and use it to damage his or her reputation

I WILL BE CAREFUL WHEN MEETING ONLINE FRIENDS IN PERSON. I agree to

• ask my parent or guardian's permission before going
• have a parent or guardian accompany me
• meet in a public place

I WILL PROTECT MYSELF ONLINE. If someone makes me feel uncomfortable or if someone is rude or offensive, I will

• not respond
• save the evidence
• tell my parent, guardian, or another trusted adult
• report to the website, cell phone company, CyberTipline.com, or the police

Cyberbullying

The Internet has drastically changed the way that children interact with the world. They have access to in-depth knowledge, tools to express their creativity, and people from all over the world. Yet along with offering a fascinating, new way to connect with the world, the Internet also offers new risks      

• Cyberbullying
• Exposure to inappropriate material
• Online predators
• Revealing too much personal information
• Learning to recognize the warning signs of these risks will allow trusted adults to intervene and lessen potential negative impacts. Children whose parents and guardians regularly talk to them about personal safety are more likely to exhibit responsible behavior on their own.
• When you think about your children’s online activities, do you consider their cell phones? They have evolved from simple communication devices to mobile, miniature computers.

Making Cyberbullying More Painful

• Cell phones make it easy for children to communicate with their friends, but they also make them vulnerable to cyberbullying. Cell phones can be used at anytime and anywhere, giving cyberbullies unlimited access to their victims. Children may send and receive mean-spirited phone calls, texts, and pictures at any hour.

Playing a Role in Grooming

• Predators also know and take advantage of the fact that cell phones let them talk with their victims at any time. They are also aware that parents and guardians often forget to monitor children’s cell phones. Predators may send children cell phones and ask them to keep the phones a secret. They can then talk to and exchange text messages and pictures with children without close monitoring by parents and guardians. Others may ask children for their cell phone numbers after meeting them online or try to connect with willing children by sending texts to random numbers.

Sexting Made Easy

• “Sexting” is a term used to describe the sending of sexually explicit text messages or pictures of minors by minors. What most young people do not realize is that the production, possession, and distribution of explicit photos of minors, even if they are self-produced, may be illegal.

Unintentional Sharing of Geolocation Data

• Most smartphones have GPS technology which allows the user’s precise location to be pinpointed by apps and on websites. Social networking sites take advantage of this technology by encouraging their users to “check-in” or share their locations. Children also may share their locations unintentionally through pictures taken with their smartphones; these photos often have geolocation data embedded in them. Consider disabling the location services on smartphones before allowing children to post photos online. 

Cyberbullying is just what it sounds like - bullying through Internet applications and technologies such as instant messaging (IM), social networking sites, and cell phones. It can start easily—with a rumor, a photo, or a forwarded message—and just as easily spiral out of control. An embarrassing video posted to a social networking site by someone in Kansas tonight may be watched by someone in Japan tomorrow. Cyberbullying victims may be targeted anywhere, at any time.

Common Forms of Cyberbullying

• Flaming and Trolling – sending or posting hostile messages intended to “inflame” the emotions of others
• Happy-Slapping – recording someone being harassed or bullied in a way that usually involves physical abuse, then posting the video online for public viewing
• Identity Theft/Impersonation – stealing someone’s password and/or hijacking their online accounts to send or post incriminating or humiliating pictures, videos, or information
• Photoshopping – doctoring digital images so that the main subject is placed in a compromising or embarrassing situation
• Physical Threats – sending messages that involve threats to a person’s physical safety
• Rumor Spreading – spreading gossip through e-mail, text messaging, or social networking sites

Signs Your Child May Be a Victim of Cyberbullying

• Avoids the computer, cell phone, and other technological devices or appears stressed when receiving an e-mail, instant message, or text
• Withdraws from family and friends or acts reluctant to attend school and social events
• Avoids conversations about computer use
• Exhibits signs of low self-esteem including depression and/or fear
• Has declining grades
• Has poor eating or sleeping habits

Social Networking

Social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook and Twitter are popular with teens because they give them:

• An easy way to share their lives with their friends and family
• The chance to try on different identities and explore new interests
• A semi-private platform on which to communicate outside of the supervision of adults

With these benefits, however, also come some risks. Teens on SNS may share personal information which leaves them vulnerable to people who want to harm them. They may also share inappropriate or illegal content which endangers future academic or employment opportunities. Understanding the various ways content can be shared can help trusted adults talk to teens about ways to stay safer while using SNS.

SNS Basics

Although not every social networking site has all of these components, many of them add more and more features in an effort to keep users on their sites for longer periods of time. Instead of opening multiple applications, users can rely on one SNS to serve all their communications needs.

• Blogs – These online journals or diaries are becoming a common part of many SNS.
• Comment Walls – A popular feature of most SNS that allows users to communicate through comments left on each others’ pages.
• E-mail – Most SNS have an e-mail feature through which users can communicate privately or with select groups.
• Friends Lists – These contact lists are usually comprised of people a child knows offline, but also include friends of friends and others they have only met online.
• Instant Messaging - Some SNS, such as Facebook, have made chat features available to users.
• Pictures and Videos – Most SNS allow users to post a profile picture. Many also allow users to post photos and videos to an online “album.”
• Status Updates - Users post these short sentences to let the people on their friends list know their actions, feelings, and thoughts.

Help children use social networking sites safely

Social networking sites can have many benefits for children, such as allowing them to explore new interests. Help your children use them more safely by going over the following tips and discussion starters.

• Check your child’s friend lists to see who has access to his or her profile. Make sure your child knows all friends in person.
• Teach your child to set profiles to private–but be aware that privacy settings do not guarantee complete privacy.
• Have your child remove any inappropriate content and photos and delete any personal information.
• Check the profiles of your child’s friends to see if there is revealing information or photos about your child.

Report inappropriate or criminal behavior to the appropriate authority. Most sites have a reporting mechanism for non-criminal behavior. Criminal behavior should be reported.

 Quiz Answers and Explanations