{"id":871,"date":"2016-02-03T16:59:11","date_gmt":"2016-02-03T16:59:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/shelleythomas\/?p=871"},"modified":"2016-02-03T20:09:12","modified_gmt":"2016-02-03T20:09:12","slug":"digital-trails-and-identities-helping-kids-stay-safe-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cohort21.com\/shelleythomas\/2016\/02\/03\/digital-trails-and-identities-helping-kids-stay-safe-online\/","title":{"rendered":"Digital Trails and Identities: Helping Kids Stay Safe Online"},"content":{"rendered":"

As with all new advances in communication, we need to ensure that our students\u00a0are given every opportunity to use and enjoy the gifts that technology provides, but remain in control of how they use it so that they are not exploited by it.<\/p>\n

As technologies continue to emerge and advance they inform our students’ experiences. We, as parents and educators, must be sensitive to this digital revolution, and aim to teach our children\u00a0how to harness the energy rather than be swept up in it.<\/p>\n

As students tweet, blog, facebook, instagram, etc., we must help them understand the dangers of over-sharing<\/strong>, of cyber bullying<\/strong>, and of revealing too much<\/strong> about themselves when online.<\/p>\n

Earlier this academic year, I invited Mr. Paul Davis<\/a> from Social Networking Safety<\/a> to my school to provide age and grade appropriate presentations to students, teachers, and parents about the potentials and perils of social networking sites.<\/p>\n

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Over the course of his two-day visit, Paul Davis provided 5 tailored sessions to the entire school community. \u00a0Topics covered included the (intentional and unintentional) creation of digital trails, curation of digital identities, data mining, updates to provincial law and the legalities of creating and\u00a0sharing explicit content, and understanding the “veil of privacy” when online. \u00a0Sessions were no-nonsense in approach and filled with compelling demonstrations exposing just how easy it is to\u00a0track online behavior, access (presumed) deleted\u00a0content, and manipulate personal accounts to gain access to sensitive information. \u00a0These sessions were followed by simple\u00a0strategies for how to remain safe online. \u00a0Below are highlights and take-aways\u00a0to help\u00a0students (and parents) determine when to go public and when to remain private with their\u00a0online content.<\/p>\n

\"CU17i4TWoAEhhHM\"<\/a>Facebook:\u00a0<\/strong>Keep private. Maintain real contacts and friends, only. Check security settings every 90 days.<\/p>\n

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Instagram:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Personal Account: Keep private.
\nInstagram Professional\/General Interest: Open. \u00a0Consider disabling location identification on photos.<\/p>\n

Twitter:\u00a0<\/strong>Open & Searchable
\nEnsure your twitter account is an accurate reflection of who you are. Never tweet immediate reactions or heightened emotions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Snapchat<\/strong>: Read the new & revised Terms of Service as of October 2015. \u00a0(Between 10% – 40 % of high school students\u00a0admit to having sent at least one inappropriate image.)<\/p>\n

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ASK.FM<\/strong>: Delete!<\/p>\n

Learn how to delete accounts<\/strong>: www.idelete.me<\/p>\n

Find Your IMEI #<\/strong> on your cell\/smart phone and record in case phone is lost or stolen: ( * # 0 6 # )<\/p>\n

Grade 12 Students: Consider opening a LINKEDIN<\/strong> account (www.linkedin.com<\/a>). Do not link it to your Facebook\/Instagram account. Professional contacts, educational history, and employment history. Make it searchable.<\/p>\n

Google yourself every 60 days<\/strong>. See what anyone looking you up will see, and address it as you see fit.<\/p>\n

Passwords<\/strong>: Separate passwords for every device. \u00a0Write these down in a book that never leaves your home. \u00a0Never\u00a0have records of passwords stored on your device.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Sexting:\u00a0<\/strong>This behaviour has moral, ethical, and criminal implications (Section\u00a0163.1<\/a> \u00a0of the criminal code).\u00a0Parents: know that if your child is 17 years old or younger, YOU OWN THEIR DEVICE.\u00a0This means that you are responsible for the behavior and content associated with that device.\u00a0Responsibility shifts to the child at 18.<\/p>\n

Parents and teachers of Lower School students, more sound\u00a0advice to take on board:<\/p>\n

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1. No technology in our bedrooms … ever! \u00a0It cannot be consistently monitored. \u00a0Children are most vulnerable to\u00a0online\u00a0predators after 9:00PM.<\/p>\n

2. User Agreements of many apps and sites indicate an age restriction. \u00a0E.g., you must be 13+\u00a0years old to have a Facebook and\u00a0Instagram account.<\/p>\n

3. Outsmart the bully<\/strong> if you are being cyber bullied:<\/p>\n