Teen Secrets: Where Are Your Teens Going – Virtually?
by Sue Scheff on Jul 18, 2011
Do you know where your teen goes online?
Kids and especially teens are notorious for keeping secrets from their parents, and in today’s world of technology they have a whole new world of ways to keep secrets.
Since kids are also incredibly adept at learning and using modern technology and the following list may help you keep better track of what your child may be hiding.
- Surfing the Internet: Today, kids have almost unlimited access to computers, and now computers are small enough to carry, enabling access to the internet literally anywhere. This gives kids easy access to sites parents may disapprove of, not to mention “adult only” sites that only ask the user to click a link stating they are over 18 years of age. That’s an easy button to click if you want to keep secrets from parents. Close monitoring of your child’s computer history, password protection and parental blocks can keep your child away from inappropriate sites.
- Downloads: Kids love to download- anything they can: pictures, jokes, videos, etc. These downloads may be putting your computer at risk for viruses that could cause permanent damage. Parents need to know the source of any download and that it is safe, as well as keeping up-to-date antivirus protection on all computers.
- Music Downloads: What kind of music are your kids downloading and listening to? Even if the site is safe, the music might not be. Listen to the music downloads. If you are not able to understand the lyrics of the songs, you may want to check them out. You can find an internet music site that has song lyrics available to read. Be careful, though, if you do not allow your child to download certain titles, he/she will probably change the file name of the prohibited song to something allowable.
- Uploads: Kids are not very discerning when it comes to what others should or should not know about themselves, and their families. Find out what sorts of pictures, text and other files your child might be sharing on social networking sites or shared folders.
- Games: What games are your kids playing? Playstation, X-box, computer games, both individual and interactive-online are filled with violence and “adult” themes. Monitor the games your child buys or rents; most are labeled with age guidelines and parental notices. Also, monitor your child’s history with online games. Install a computer block that allows access to only approved sites.
- Friends: Kids have many friends. Some of them, they don’t even know. Facebook and other online social networking sites make it easy for children to fall prey to predatory abusers disguised as “friends.” If your child has a Facebook or other social networking accounts, make sure that you know their username and password, and check in on their activity once in awhile.
- Cell phone use: How much time your kids spend on the phone, when they are calling and who they are calling are important to know. Read the itemized portion of your bill each month to double check, and if there is a number you don’t recognize or don’t want your child accessing, have it blocked through your service carrier.
- Texting: With unlimited texting capabilities on cell phone plans, your kids can text anyone at any time, day or night. Parents need to know who they are texting and the language they are both reading and using while they are texting.
- Abbreviations: LOL, and CUL maybe be familiar “social” abbreviations, and ROLOFLMHO may be used by your kids without any qualms, but ROLOFLMAO might be offensive to some parents. Do you know the difference? Also, new abbreviations are added to the lexicon of technical communication on a daily basis. As a parent you need to be familiar with abbreviations so as to know what your kids are saying. You can check the internet for sites that list abbreviations and meanings.
- Plagiarism and cheating: That kids are able to access information which expedites learning in ways never before thought of, is a wonderful outcome of technology today. That kids can also use this information to cheat in ways never before thought of, isn’t.
Kids will be kids, and they will try to “get away” with anything they can; this will never change. But the world of technology changes every day, and if parents remain technologically savvy, kids will have to work very hard to continue keeping those secrets.
Source: Internet Providers
Be an educated parent, you will have safer teens.
Continue reading on Examiner.com Teen tech secrets parents should know – Fort Lauderdale Parenting Teens | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/parenting-teens-in-fort-lauderdale/teen-tech-secrets-parents-should-know#ixzz1SSW3EIOz
Tags: At Risk Teens, Cyber Safety, Internet Safety, Online Safety, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Social Networking and Teens, Sue Scheff, Teen Help, Teen Issues, Teen Secrets
10 Ways the NSA is Working with ISP’s to Stop Cyberattacks
by Sue Scheff on Jul 09, 2011
Spy v spy is nothing new; Nathan Hale and Benedict Arnold were both spies during the American Revolution, and today’s cyber-world carries on the tradition. Disinformation, misinformation and sabotage are alive and well. Cyber-spies and agents provocateurs are hard at work trying to upset enemy apple-carts, and efforts to suppress these activities are largely unsuccessful.
America is constantly under attack, and the National Security Agency (NSA), America’s top intelligence network, has been working with Internet Service Provider’s (ISP’s) in attempts to foil cyber-attacks. Here are some of the ways the agency and ISP’s work together. Some ISP cooperation has been voluntary, but in many instances ISP’s have had little choice in the matter.
- Existing Cooperation Between NSA and ISP’s – AT&T and Verizon have been handing the NSA voice and data traffic for years; once illegal, laws have been changed to allow the practice. The Foreign Intelligence Security Act (FISA) of 1978 paved the way for greater government utilization of civilian companies and, eventually, ISP’s.
- CALEA – In 1994, Congress enacted a program called the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcements Act (CALEA), a program that required all providers of Internet service, including phone companies, ISP’s, colleges and even coffee shops to install equipment that would allow the government to monitor almost all Internet activity.
- The Patriot Act – In the fallout from the 9/11 attacks, warrantless surveillance was introduced, and even though opposing voices were raised there was enough fear of additional attacks that the program was enacted without effective judicial review, and the Bush administration titled it the Terrorist Surveillance Program.
- Recent Developments – In May of 2011, it was reported that defense contractor Lockheed-Martin had come under cyber-attack, and, in a novel move, the defense industry, ISP’s and the NSA joined together to launch a program that would enable the NSA to utilize data sets to identify malicious programs that had been slipped into data streams received by Lockheed-Martin and others. ISP’s would then be able to disable the threats before they reached company servers.
- Unknown Threats – Right now, the NSA technology and the ISP’s ability to filter Internet traffic is only effective against known threats, and work is under way to develop methods of detecting threats that are more ambiguously presented.
- LulzSec and Anonymous – LulzSec and Anonymous are a pair of hacking groups that have declared a virtual war on manifold targets like media companies and mega-corporations; these are among the types of threats the NSA and ISP’s hope to neutralize.
- Civil Liberties – Any time a government begins to monitor its citizen’s personal or business communications, there is a very real threat to the civil liberties of that citizenry.
- Technology – The NSA, which employs more than 40,000 people, is at the forefront of many aspects of Internet security technology, which makes partnership with ISP’s possible.
- Data Bases – ISP’s control incredible data flows, and their ability to monitor vast amounts of information makes them indispensable in any credible attempt to disable cyber-attacks.
- What We Don’t Know – In a cyber-world infused with secrets, we may never truly know the depth of interactivity between ISP’s and government agencies like the NSA.
More threats are inevitable, and continued cooperation between the NSA and ISP’s is truly needed.
Source: Internet Service Providers
Tags: Cyber Safety, Identity Theft, Internet Defamation, Internet Gossip, Internet Safety, Internet Slander, Parenting, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Parenting Tips, Sue Scheff
Social Networking Safety: 10 Quick Tips To Protect Your Kids on Facebook
by Sue Scheff on Apr 13, 2011
Keeping your kids safe virtually is a priority.
Facebook turned 7 years old this month. Hard to believe that a college student and his buddies invented it and now it has spread so quickly that more than 40% of the U.S. population has a Facebook account. Talk about going viral.
While this social network phenomenon started out as a tool for college kids, it has rapidly grown to include a younger and younger audience. Facebook rules state that a user must be 13 years or older to have a Facebook account. However, there is no way to verify this so there are many kids that are younger than that with their own accounts.
How do you protect your kids from the questionable material on Facebook?
- Don’t let them get an account. Now, this may sound obvious, but it’s the truth. The best way to protect your kids is to make sure they don’t have an account before they are old enough.
- Make sure your child friends you. You need to watch what your child is posting on their friends’ walls and what kind of stuff is being posted on their wall.
- Make sure your child only friends people they know in real life. Anyone can send you a friend request if you are a friend of a friend etc. This can be an open invitation for predators.
- Discuss boundaries with your child. Your child needs to know that he/she should not post any personal information online. No reference to their full name, name of their school, their address or their birthday.
- Limit your child’s access to the computer. Computers are a way of life, but as a parent you want to be able to monitor what your child is doing on the computer. Make sure the computer is in a central location like the living room or office.
- Invest in parental control software that monitors your child’s computer activity. You can’t always be with your child. If you have software like that specializes in monitoring your child’s keystrokes, you can see exactly what your child is doing on the computer and on Facebook accounts even if you aren’t home.
- Do not allow your kids to post pictures. Pictures lead to online bullying and sometimes too much information. What if your child posts a picture from his soccer game? Seems innocent enough, but this gives out personal information that may put children at risk from a predator.
- Allow your child to use your Facebook account. This may sound funny, but if they aren’t posting under their own name they may be more conscientious. Plus, you will indeed have access to see everything they have posted.
- Make sure you have their passwords. There is no such thing as privacy in your house. You should have their e-mail password as well as their Facebook password.
- Make sure you set the privacy settings on Facebook. Facebook will show your phone number and other personal information if you don’t turn it off. Make sure you are there to help your child set up their account.
Source: Internet Provider
In Broward County, Mother’s Against Predators (MAP) was formed to help educate and inform parents, teachers and the community about the warning signs of predators as well as tech tips we all can use.
Internet Predators do not discriminate, any child is at risk if not properly taught about how to stay safe in cyberspace.
Be an educated parent, you will have safer teens.
Tags: Cyber Safety, Facebook Safety, Internet Safety, Parenting, parenting advice, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Resources, Parenting Teens, Social Networking Safety, Sue Scheff, Teen Help
Internet Safety Awards 2011 Announced
by Sue Scheff on Apr 02, 2011
Internet Safety Awards
I was thrilled to be part of a celebrity panel to judge the 2011 Internet Safety Awards. Myself, along with other prominent cyber-safety experts, were given a difficult task to judge the most amazing video’s that were made by kids! Kids that want to help create awareness of staying safe online as well as keeping your privacy private. I personally was blown away at the creativity, the message, the power that these kids accomplished. The votes were close and all of them are winners!!!!
Take the time to watch them all! Here are the list of winners and links to their videos! Congrats and “Mahalo” for this great opportunity!
Here are your winners:
WINNERS OF CYBER BULLYING:
3rd — “Is It Really That Funny?” Roosevelt High School
2nd – “Three Little Pigs” Waianae High School
1st — “Shut Cyberbullying Down” Waianae High School
WINNERS OF ONLINE PIRACY & PLAGIARISM
3rd – “Copy Cat” Waipahu High School
2nd – “Victim of Plagiarism” Roosevelt High School
1st – “The Computer Wizard” Waianae High School
WINNERS OF ONLINE PREDATORS & SOCIAL NETWORKING
3rd – “Who’s Watching You?” Myron Thompson Academy
2nd – “Honest Thief” Waianae High School
1st – “Gotcha” Waianae High School
TOP 3 – “BEST IN SHOW
WINNER:
“The Computer Wizard” Waianae High School
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD
“Do You Know Who You’re Chatting With?” Aina Haina School
You can still see ALL 72 PSAs. Click >>>> HERE
The 2011 ISA was streamed to the Internet Live…Check for details at the ISA FACEBOOK FANPAGE by clicking >>>> HERE BY ALL MEANS PLEASE SIGN UP AS A FRIEND!!!
Click >>>> HERE to see the new ISA 2011 “GALA” television commercial.
Click >>>> HERE to see the story about the ISA with Tanya Joaquin and Steve Uyehara on the HawaiiNewsNow Sunrise Show.
Click>>>>HERE(WMV) OR >>>>HERE(MOV)to see the 2/6/11 story on HawaiiNewsNow on Cyberbullying with Stephanie Lum and Special Agent Arnold Laanui – Honolulu FBI. http://www.internetsafetyawards.org/videoclips/arnold.hnn.cb.2.6.11.mov
Click>>>>>HERE for President Obama and the First Lady discussing Bullying.
Follow Internet Safety Awards on Facebook and Twitter.
Tags: Cyber Safety, Cyberbullying, Internet Safety, Internet Safety Awards, Online Safety
Online Exploitation and Your Teens: Staying Safe in Cyberspace
by Sue Scheff on Feb 06, 2011
One of the most informational websites to keep our teens and kids safe from sexual predators and other online exploitation is directly from the FBI. Here is part of their Parent Guide to Internet Safety. What would you do if you found our your child was chatting with a stranger online? Be an educated parent, you will have safer teens both online and off.
What Can You Do To Minimize The Chances Of An On-line Exploiter Victimizing Your Child?
- Communicate, and talk to your child about sexual victimization and potential on-line danger.
- Spend time with your children on-line. Have them teach you about their favorite on-line destinations.
- Keep the computer in a common room in the house, not in your child’s bedroom. It is much more difficult for a computer-sex offender to communicate with a child when the computer screen is visible to a parent or another member of the household.
- Utilize parental controls provided by your service provider and/or blocking software. While electronic chat can be a great place for children to make new friends and discuss various topics of interest, it is also prowled by computer-sex offenders. Use of chat rooms, in particular, should be heavily monitored. While parents should utilize these mechanisms, they should not totally rely on them.
- Always maintain access to your child’s on-line account and randomly check his/her e-mail. Be aware that your child could be contacted through the U.S. Mail. Be up front with your child about your access and reasons why.
- Teach your child the responsible use of the resources on-line. There is much more to the on-line experience than chat rooms.
- Find out what computer safeguards are utilized by your child’s school, the public library, and at the homes of your child’s friends. These are all places, outside your normal supervision, where your child could encounter an on-line predator.
- Understand, even if your child was a willing participant in any form of sexual exploitation, that he/she is not at fault and is the victim. The offender always bears the complete responsibility for his or her actions.
- Instruct your children:
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- to never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they met on- line;
- to never upload (post) pictures of themselves onto the Internet or on-line service to people they do not personally know;
- to never give out identifying information such as their name, home address, school name, or telephone number;
- to never download pictures from an unknown source, as there is a good chance there could be sexually explicit images;
- to never respond to messages or bulletin board postings that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent, or harassing;
- that whatever they are told on-line may or may not be true.
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Tags: Cyber Safety, Cyberbullying, Internet Predators, Online Predators, Online Scams, Parenting, Parenting Resources, Sue Scheff, Teen Help, Teen Issues
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