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Trying to keep up with Internet safety is a daunting task. Daily, there are changes in security, news stories that alarm parents, and more ways in which the thugs are invading our privacy, often illegally. This site: Internet Safety.com has a helpful website and a blog that appeals to parents as well as teachers to stay informed. More information is at this post from the blog "Parents Want to Know". Disclaimer: I write that blog as well and try to add new information about Internet safety or monitoring.

I am an avaid iPhone user and love the device and was quite pleased to see a monitoring program for parents to control. The statistics about availability of porn on the Internet and how easy it is to find it is quite un-nerving to me as a parent of two teenagers. There are explicit podcasts, free downloadable books, images and videos on YouTube.

Don't assume that your child's phone is protected. Make a plan for checking it often, and check text messages, photos as well as any videos or unknown phone numbers in the list.

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According to a published report in ecampus news, the advance of better detection software as well as better law enforcement work, has resulted in more perpetrators caught for illegal online activity. The article states that better police work and public information has resulted in more arrests for child solicitation. The article also noted that these solicitations occur less frequently in chat rooms and more frequently on social network sites.

Watch this video from NECC. It is a discussion panel explaining the current research and statistics about student Internet use. In addition there is a short segment from the state of Virginia's Department of Education, Lance Nugent. Virginia is the first state to REQUIRE Internet safety programs for grades K-12.

Researchers stated that the factors that increase the possibility of sexual solicitation are: posting a photo, filling in a profile, being female, using the Internet to flirt. it does not matter if you post your city, school, or your interests. Anastasia Goodstein, from YPulse website, encouraged the audience to teach about appropriate use of Internet or cell phone. We should encourage good ethical behavior is important whether you are face to face or talking online.


Article: http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=58005
MacBook image from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/35490662@N07/3400666461/
Book from: http://Amazon.com

Image via Wikipedia

February 2009 issue of Good Housekeeping has several articles about technology. The first is about a mom who wanted to learn more about Club Penguin so she created an avatar and checked it out. She found there were some interesting games which were age appropriate, but was very upset about the sexual innuendo and flirting. Read more of her article here at Good Housekeeping online.

The second article remarks about several sites including tikatok.com where kids can create their own storybook complete with self made illustrations. Another site recommended is makebeliefscomix.com. Kids (ages 4 and up) can create comic strips using built in characters, by filling in the text bubbles. FREE The third site is a FREE crossword puzzle generator. Completed puzzles can be printed. The site is http://readwritethink.org/crossword/.

From the iSafe.org community:
"What does the upcoming Presidential Election have to do with students learning an e-Safety lesson? i-SAFE has just launched a new curriculum unit that features an activity which encourages students to vote for the candidate of their choice.

Check out the new unit – Online Identity and You – for middle and high school levels, available for download in the Online Personal Safety curriculum module. In addition to comprehensive standards-based curriculum on topics related to online personal safety and identity concerns, the materials provide step-by-step guidance on how adults and students can become verified and create online profiles that provide better levels of safety. Verification with identity.net will enable students to:

• Learn about the importance of maintaining “levels of identity” online in order to be safe and secure in Internet activities and communications
• Build and use safe online profiles
• Engage in safe and secure online activities and contests

That’s where the voting for President comes in. But you’ll need to ACT FAST. Direct your students to www.identity.net and register, and then go to www.iRULEit.com, where they can cast their online ballot today! This special voting activity for students ends on Election Day, November 4th."

I was not aware of this until I went to the Apple Store and played with an iPod-Touch: You can have live wireless Internet if you are in an area with WiFi. I thought that was just for the iPhone. Well I must tell you that I was hooked and plunged in to the purchase. I love the applications, the way you manage the settings, the touch screen, it is all great. I was a big fan of wireless PalmPilots, but the screen was too small for me (sorry over 50). But this larger screen is just about as small as I want to get! Even my Classic iPod screen is too small. This is just right.

It leaves me to mention that if your child has one of these, they can use the Internet at a friend's home, the library, some malls, walking down the street, anywhere. Yes anywhere they can get unsecured Internet access. Be sure you are involved in what they are doing with that access. Ask them to show you how they use it, where they use it and what they are doing. Sit at the computer and have them teach you how to download Apps to their new device.

If you do not know how to text message, I suggest you get in to it right away. Teens prefer to text and you are more likely to get a response if you text rather than phone. Of course this depends upon your child and their preference. I think I will add the texting plan to my phone in September. I have two teens who want rides home or here and there, and sometimes I stay after school for something too and want to inform them.