www.cybersafety.posterous.

com

Thanks for coming along and taking the time to raise your own awareness of
Issues of Cyber Safety.
A copy of tonight’s presentation, and my speaker notes, with live links to all the
sites and resources I refer to, is at www.cybersafety.posterous.com
There are also one or two related podcasts at that same location as well, if you’d
like even more material.

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Teaching children about Cyber Safety, is very simply, about developing ‘street
sense’ for navigating the information super-highways of the digital age.

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Cyber Safety is NOT just about computers, but about the convergence of all
‘connected’ devices in general..
Phones, Cameras, GPS devices, MP3 players, iPods,.

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iPADS, watches, whatever

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And it’s not JUST about the DANGERS of the highway, although they are
certainly there, and we acknowledge that.

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It’s also about the potential for learning and knowledge-building that the, always-
on, inter-connected online environment offers us.
Educators today are suggesting that we have moved from the ‘Age of
Constructivism’ and into the ‘Age of Connectivism’.

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I’m reminded of the story about the newly appointed Gen Y computer support
technician who found himself in the Server room trying to set-up some
complicated network connections………………………

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He pulled out his iPhone and basically ‘Googled’ the problem.
He combined the knowledge he already had, with the advice he could find from
the rest of the world, and was able to get the job done. He learnt what he needed
to know, right there in the context of where he needed to know it.
The 3 Rs came into play there; Real, Rich and Relevant.
So, the AGE OF THE ‘SMART-PHONE’ really is, (finally) upon us.

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 Smartphone 1.0

Now, we (parents and teachers) are NOT experts in Cyber Safety. We just apply
common-sense rules of safety and privacy to new technologies as they arrive, as
best we can.

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* But the thing to keep in mind, is that nor are your children (experts), even
though they might like you to THINK that they are.
* What parents and teachers generally ARE, however, is reasonably experienced
in providing supportive and encouraging learning environments for our children.
* In the same way that we taught our children to walk, and talk, and relate with
judgement and compassion to other people, as they grow older ……….

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…….. we can still provide some ‘training wheels’ and support for their journeys
onto the information super-highway.
To continue the analogy, we want our children to be both safe drivers, AND to be
able to take every advantage of what that ‘highway’ has to offer.
Here’s a brief insight into aspects of the BLOGOSPHERE at present.

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We don’t necessarily have to agree with everything in that clip, and the music is a
bit dramatic, but it is food for thought.

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Cyberspace today is very much a two-way street. People are seeking to
ENGAGE out there. It’s no longer JUST a place where we can FIND information,
but also a place we can POST information. And there are implications for that.

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Once it’s there, then it’s potentially there forever, for anybody!

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 Our challenge is to reinforce ethical values
for adding material to the World Wide Web,

and to provide informed strategies for

getting information from it.

The recent tragic events surrounding the death of a young woman after being
lured to a meeting under the pretence of a job interview, very sadly serve to
highlight the need for us as parents to be engaging young people in discussions
about what IS and IS NOT valid and accurate online information. More important
than ever is the need for people to aware of ‘stranger danger’, to have a healthy
scepticism about people they meet and information with which they are
confronted, and to have skills and strategies for checking and verifying the
validity of both.

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 Digital Literacy at School
• Educate - by extending and challenging thinking about
the validity and appropriateness of information in
general

• Protect - with an Internet filter

• Support - via a pastoral care program that builds

relationships of trust with key people
and raises issues for discussion (Jeremy)

So what do WE do here at school to promote Digital Literacy?

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So what are the specific issues that people worry about in an online context.
Broadly speaking they are the sort of issues that have perennially worried us as
parents.

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 Speed Bumps

– Cyber stalking
– Offensive content (chatroulette.com)
– Digital footprints
– Bullying and harassment
– Identity theft and fraud
– Overuse
– Information overload
– Facebook envy

Chatroulette, Tiny Chat, Omegle

Just to give you a bit of a humorous insight into Facebook, take a look at this.
Be aware though, of these ‘Facebook’ terms:
‘Poke’, ‘Friends’ and ‘Friends of Friends’.
‘Confirm or Ignore’. Profile. Interests. Relationships. ‘Write on your wall’ – a
message on your dorm door

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 http://www.facebook.com/

Facebook’s default privacy settings have recently been altered, from being fairly
private, to being the opposite (by default).
A little more on this later, but suffice it to say that ‘privacy’ settings on ALL ‘Web
2.0’ or Social Networking sites need careful attention.

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There are MANY, MANY such SOCIAL NETWORKING sites, but the safety
principles-of-engagement are similar for all of them.
And more on them a bit later, as well.
So what sort of things can you be thinking about, and doing at home to smooth
the way?

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 Build strong relationships of trust and communication
within your family

This one is obvious, and almost goes without saying. Here’s a clip that we might
show middle-schoolers about bullying.

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The point of showing these videos to kids is that it sends a message that what
MIGHT be happening to them, or what MIGHT happen somewhere down the
track, has happened to other young people in the past, and that it’s not JUST
them, and that they ARE justified in raising their concerns with somebody.
So what else can you be thinking about at home?

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 Set rules about ‘Screen Time’
and stick to them.

Have an understanding in your house about what constitutes ‘Screen Time’.

Negotiate it, and stick to it.

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 Put computers in a central, shared area.
Remote connections after consultation and negotiation.

Just as you might watch and reflect upon TV shows together as a family, view the
Internet in the same way. It won’t be long, and the TV and the computer will
converge, in one way or another, anyway.
If children ARE going to encounter challenging material online, then be close-by
so you can offer support and advice.
Also think carefully about wireless networks in your home, and the implications of
them in terms of who can do what, and where, down the track.

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 Value skills in knowledge building, and encourage
critical thinking

Value the effort that goes into critically researching for assignments. Make
yourself familiar with alternate sources of online information, like that offered from
our own Barker Library, and guide your children to there. See if you can get
EBSCO mentioned in the same sentence as GOOGLE.
Ask the Library about this!!

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 Get your own Facebook site and learn how to use it.

http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/12/facebook-privacy-new/

This is not Facebook, but rather a site dedicated to teaching you about how to set
your privacy settings appropriately.

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 http://www.quitfacebookday.com/

Or, you could just join this group, which has surfaced recently.

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 http://www.reclaimprivacy.org/

This is another free online tool that can be used to assess your Facebook privacy
settings for possible vulnerabilities.
There are many valid reasons for SOME people to have their privacy settings a
little ‘looser’ than others, but this is a tool to make you aware of just exactly where
YOU are. It will analyse your page, then basically step you through the options.

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 http://www3.untangle.com/saveface

This is a similar tool, and as best as I can work out, it works pretty well.

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 http://www.privacy.gov.au/topics/technologies

Read this article about phone privacy and security, and apply the same principles
to all connected devices.
Again, 10 common-sense tips that we all should know, but a handy reminder.
AND some links to more sites for further details and useful information.

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 Install a free Internet filter
http://www1.k9webprotection.com/

Install a FREE Internet filter, and learn how to use it.

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 Install free anti-virus software

http://free.avg.com/

And pay the same sort of attention to virus protection. This one is also FREE.

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 Adjust your Google filtering options, and setup a
‘Google Alert’

This applies to normal Google searching, as well as to Google Images. This

option is found under the ‘Settings’ link, top RHS.

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 Get acquainted with support services

http://www.netalert.gov.au/

There are many such sites now. Some are referred to directly at the back of the
School Diary.

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 http://www.michaelcarr-gregg.com.au/

Well respected child-psychologist and commentator, who can perhaps confirm

what you are thinking, and/or challenge the way you are thinking.

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http://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/

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http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/

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http://www.thinkuknow.org.au/site/

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 Barker IT
Help Desk
9847 8275

Keith Vallis – May 2010

I can’t emphasise enough that relationships really are the key to preparing for and
dealing with the perennial parental issues of child safety and well-being.
Despite our best efforts, issues do arise, and we want both you and your children
to know that we are always available to provide support and assistance.
I’ve deliberately shown you a lot of clips tonight, mainly to give you some insight
into the sorts of discussions we try to involve your children in with regard to Cyber
Safety.
I’ll leave you with this one. Thanks for coming along.

40
I can’t emphasise enough that relationships really are the key to preparing for and
dealing with the perennial parental issues of child safety and well-being.
Despite our best efforts, issues do arise, and we want both you and your children
to know that we are always available to provide support and assistance.
I’ve deliberately shown you a lot of clips tonight, mainly to give you some insight
into the sorts of discussions we try to involve your children in with regard to Cyber
Safety.
I’ll leave you with this one. Thanks for coming along.

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