1. Your Safety Net
MSTI
Safety on the Internet
Tuesday March 30, 2010
By Amy Matzan, Candice Vinciguerra, Stephen Gallagher, Erica Papa, Michael Smith

2. Advantages of Using the Internet at Home and School
Online resources: library catalogs, encyclopedias, newspapers, and other sites
Communication tools— , discussion boards,
Creates an electronic document source
Allows students to take quizzes/test online
Allows students to check grades online
Access career and college material

3. Concerns when using the Internet at Home and School
Predators
Sexually explicit site
Bulling/harassment
Viruses
Obsessions
Drug and Alcohol encouragement — advertisement, and other kids
Accessibility to gambling
Association with the wrong crowds

4. What Parents can do to help
No internet on their cell phones
Leave laptops and cell phones in separate room at bedtime
Have passwords in order to get on to home computers and block websites
Buy websites to block and filter websites
Use yahooligans.yahoo.com
Monitor computer hours and in main room

5. What Parents can do to help (cont)
Try to get school districts to block certain websites at school
Bookmark kids favorite websites to allow them to go right to it
Educate yourself about the risks involved with the internet
Let your kids know that they can talk to you if they ever encountered anything on the internet

6. What Educators can do to help
Social networking—teachers should could role should be with working in the internet
Keep it professional—be the teacher inside as well as outside the school
Consider using other things other then Facebook— like blackboard, personal forms, or blogs
Maintain a teacher/student relationship—example is twitter allowing teacher to make quick updates to students without being to personal

7. What Educators can do to help (cont)
Take the place of the parent on giving consent to certain websites
Pay attention to what websites students are accessing—if they access prohibited websites inform proper authority
Censor what students put on the websites to make sure free of personal information

8. Websites for more Information on keeping Kids safe on the Internet
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children —Does not link to any outside sources. Information on internet safety and technology. Provides concerns and information directly from teens. Provides information on education parents and children.
Safe Kids –One of the oldest sites for internet safety. Provides safety advice and blogs on things such as “How to configure your Facebook privacy settings.”
Wired Safety –Information to educate parents including a Parenting Online document and Hot Topics such as cyberbullying and cyberdating.
Net Nanny –Provides parents, business, and other consumers with computer software to protect against unwanted internet content and inappropriate use. Net Nanny Mobile now available to provide protection on mobile devices.
How to protect kids –Today's’ kids are taking advantage
of all that the web has to offer. But when it comes to their
personal information who’s in charge? This website provides
basic guides to for teachers to help police students when it
comes to working and using the web.