Internet Safety

I looked around the NSTeens website and watched the videos that they have. I liked how they have videos that are more appealing to teens so they can learn online about the consequences of posting things online. They talk about what is appropriate to post online and the dangers of posting inappropriate things. Also NetSmartz Teens allows you to connect to several different links that help you teach internet safety to kids and help you as a teacher and parents become more aware of these current issues. They provide activities such as Amy's Choice to provide teachers with potential lesson plans to teach internet safety.
OnGuardOnline helps inform people how to protect their identity online and deals with issues such as texting and cyber bullying. Since online has become such a large part of our lives, it is important that we are aware of such dangers and teach our children how to be safe while online.

After my research, I called my sister Hayley to talk to her about internet safety and what I had learned. She is soon to be a mother and so I thought it important that she thinks about how she will protect her daughter against technology early on. When I shared what I had learn with her, she knew a lot of it but found had never thought about the fact that with some one's birthday and name, a person can look up one's Social Security Number. But she's very careful about not posting personal information such as phone numbers and addresses. She also is careful that she doesn't change her personality online, because she recognizes that it's easy to act differently while online. She likes to make sure she presents herself on how she'd want her grandmother or boss to veiw her. She seems to be smart about how she uses technology in her life, and so I asked her what her plan is for teaching her child how to be safe online. She thinks it's smart to just inform them of dangers of the dangers of posting personal information online, explaining to them the logic of it without scaring them. For example, you wouldn't give your phone number to a stranger on the street, so don't post it online where anyone can see it. Once you've taught them these good principles of safety it's important that you also monitor your child when online.