1. Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools
Welcome to this PTA Seminar on Safety on the Internet
<introduce the hosts/speakers>
The computer age is upon us not only with hardware and new amazing machines, but the access those machines have onto the internet…known as the information highway.
This evening we’ll share some very important facts and concepts with you the parents of our greatest resource…our children. These young minds of “wet cement” are tomorrows leaders.
As parents, teachers, community leaders, we have a great commission to protect our young people from harm…both physical and mental.
We are also entrusted with the education of our children and preparing them for responsible life as adults.

2. Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools
The Internet:
Educates you.
Entertains you.
Connects you.
And it also:
Opens your home
to the outside world.
Exposes you.
Deceives you.
Read the overview
Impress upon the participants that parents have a very real impact.
Our children are wet cement and need guidance. Refer to the “What I learned in Family Life” article.
Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools

3. FACTS Your computer is connected to other computers on the net.
Surfing the web and using search engines helps us find information.
and attach-ments
are sent over the net and can be harmful.
Plagiarism is copying someone else’s work and it is dishonest.
The computer works on the net by accessing other computers at addresses with an application called a browser.
“Surfing the web” is spending time searching for web pages using an address like Google or “Ask.com”.
(electronic mail) and Attachments (items “stuffed” in the message) are ways to talk and send data to others.
Chat and instant messaging is a way to talk to others with an application like AIM or YAHOO. It’s called “IMing” someone.
Viruses, & hacking, are when bad people do bad things to others for unkind fun or money. Example: hacking a password.
Plagiarism is copying someone’s work then calling it your own… it’s illegal.
Passwords should be strong and hard to break vs Weak and easy to break.
Hacking and viruses are harmful actions by hurtful people.
FACTS
Chatting and Instant Messaging are live communication.
Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools

4. Password Safety Use a combination of letters and numbers.
Do not use the name of a person or pet.
Do not use a word that can be found in a dictionary.
Do not write it down or share it with anyone other than a parent.
Use a password that is meaningful to you and no one else.
Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools

5. you feel uncomfortable, talk to
If a person makes
you feel uncomfortable, talk to
a parent or
trusted adult.
Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools

6. Online Social Sites Don’t give a predator a reason to contact you.
Bad people called predators can watch and read your information
Don’t give a predator a reason to contact you.
Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools

7. Don’t share personal information with anyone on the internet:
name
address
phone number
social security number
income
family
Who's
Watching
You?
Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools

8. makes you feel uncomfortable.
Do not respond
to a chat that
makes you feel uncomfortable.
Tell your parents or trusted adult.
Do not send threatening or mean messages to
or about others.
Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools

9. Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools
Your newest
online friend?
How do you know who it is?
Attachment
What is it and who sent it?
Viruses are sent via
Chat / Instant Message
Do not use your real name or your username.
Who-Parents should determine at what age and to what extent children and teenagers will have access. Typically young teens in middle school are interested in and want to parcipate. Students should have “public” accounts and understand that parents may look or view from time to time. Also we all need to understand that is not private and can be viewed by people other than the originator or the reciever. (server)
Filters-there are ways to filter the incoming . There is software (Eudora) AOL parental controls that block, file and redirect based on subject headings. There is higher level filters that will actually read the body text and determine purpose of the .
Spam-junk mail in your basket..., AOL:18 million pieces of mail each day and recieves “tens of thousands of spam complaints a week”-10% of
Protect your address-ask people not to include you in mass mailings
Don’t “sign-up” for every free thing
Understand when you enter a chat room you’ve been exposed
Maintain a private address, and a “public” address
Use BCCs to send to more than one person forwarding mail and distribution lists
Passwords-Passwords are
Surveys-popular item where students fill out info on a variety of topics...problem is they are forwarded to everyone, shariing address and or personal information.
chain letters-a throw back on the old medium...now gives your address to anyone who is forwarded the message. All it takes is one predator or one person trying to sell something on the net to get one of these messages and they now have an address list that contains verified s of young teens!
Information sharing-giving out information of any kind can be shared with anyone who is forwarded the .
MouseTrap CD image
Virginia Community Policing Institute
Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools

10. NEVER meet someone from the internet alone in real life
without asking a parent or trusted adult for help.
Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools

11. Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools
No Pirating!
Do not share files with another computer.
Do not download music illegally.
Do not break copyright and legal use laws.
Chat
Information disclosure-”yes I live in middleburg...I go to middleburg elementary.”
Spam-robots called sifters go through chat rooms “gleaning” the address/screen names for junk mail or worse.
Profiles- individual information about a person that matches the screen name. Many profiles give too much information to the viewer. In chat rooms, it’s a common practice to check someone’s profile (resume’) during the chat, getting an insight into the kind of person they are chatting with.
private chats and chat rooms-these are areas set up by users to have chats away from the “public” eye.
Instant Messages/AIM-AIM and ICQ...new versions are using attached video, and pictures...AOLl version 5.0 allows a whole new ability of creating/sending/recieving images, audio and video files.
CeYUCe Me-shows video and audio of person on both ends... predators are using them to verify victim online
avatars-icons that portray a person in some of the higher end chat areas... many of these are adult in nature both visually and content. Avatars are typically used in private chat areas where software and access addresses are required for the users.
Newsgroups
Newsgroups are areas on the net much like chat rooms except they are simply posted messages and graphics.
The newsgroup category with address tag “.alt” have everything imaginable with every deviant behavior on earth.
Newsgroups (as well as Chat rooms) are blocked from Rockingham County Schools computers.
Parents should forbid young students access to newsgroups unless CLOSELY supervised.
Their are NO rules in .alt groups. Many of these areas are where viruses and other undesireable files are located and sent.
Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools

12. Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools
The Internet
is an ever-
increasing
part of our
world …
Use it wisely!
America Online is the most popular service in the world. While the areas of AOL are very convenient for the consumer, they also attract the largest group of adults.
Many computers come with AOL pre-installed. We receive the CD set-up disks all the time in the mail.
AOL is the largest transmitter of junk mail and pornographic mail online.
AOL pioneered chat and has made it very easy to use, thus the younger online users have integrated it into their lifestyle.
Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools

13. Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools
Do the Right Thing
No Pirating!
No Plagiarism!
Protect your password!
Protect your home from hackers and viruses!
Protect yourself from Predators!
Realize that File Sharing and downloading music for free is illegal.
Don’t Copy other people’s work. It’s stealing… called Plagiarism.
Create strong Passwords that use letters and numbers (not regular words or names)
Ask your parents if your home computer is protected from hackers and viruses.
Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools

14. Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools
Always Beware Of People You Meet on the Internet
Tell an adult about anything you see or find on the internet that makes you feel uncomfortable or confused.
Don’t share information about your family, relatives or friends. Don’t share your name, address, phone numbers, or the location of your house to anyone on the internet.
Do not answer messages that make you feel uncomfortable, or are threatening. Tell your parents or trusted adult about anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. Do not send threatening or mean messages to others.
NEVER meet someone, from the internet, by yourself. Ask your parents for permission and help to meet someone in a public place.
Filters(software) and filter services(proxies or ISPs) that filters out the “bad” sites focus on sex, violence, hate, illegal activity
Porn-Adult means adult. If they happen to stumble upon a site that doesn’t look appropriate...leave now. A good time to explain about exploitation of woman, children... a little parenting here goes a long way. Family Life taught at home by the parent is the best way to teach it.
Spam-young surfers need to understand that signing up for things, services, freebies simply expose their mailbox to spam and other targeted marketing groups.
Scams-get rich quick and become a millionaire sites are bogus and part of the total scheme of commerce. Explain that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Age Appropriateness-talk to and discuss with children the nature of what’s online and the fact that there are bad people who do bad things. Just like driving down the interstate, you’ll drive right past rapists, murderers, sex offenders and criminals....that doesn’t mean you have to get in the car with them.
Hardware location-keep your family computer in a central location. A computer in a childs bedroom or play area with complete access to the internet is really not good parenting! Much the same as full cable TV access in a childs bedroom. See “What I learned in Family Life”
Commerce/secure transactions-your internet browser (netscape/explorer) can conduct transactions with data being encrypted or coded for security. Typical transactions where a secure connection is wanted are when you purchase something with a credit card or send sensitive informational data over the internet. You know your browser is sending data that is encrypted when it tells you. You’ll also see a key or lock in the lower left hand corner.
Compulsive Behaviour-be aware of your children spending too much time online, too much time in chat rooms and/or a pre-occupation of getting online at a specific time. Be aware of anger/out of control emotions when dealing with online time... sure fire symptom of too much!
Access and maturity-an elementary student obviously should have access to the same things a young teen has access to and then to older teen. AOL filters for the three age groups should be used and followed...they work pretty good.
Internet Safety Rockingham County Public Schools