Posted by Joyce on February 25, 2009 under Internet Safety, Online Safety | 
The Girls Scouts are into more than just selling cookies these days. The munchable type of cookie, I mean.
Now, they are expanding into Internet cookies, too. Yes, together with Microsoft, the Girl Scouts have gone into the Internet Safety arena to launch a new Web site called LMK, or Let Me Know.
The mission of the site is to teach children and teens to safely navigate through life online, from email, to instant message and social networking.
Kudos to the Girl Scouts!
Check it out here: Let Me Know
Posted by Joyce on February 17, 2009 under Internet Safety For Kids, Kids Internet Safety, Myspace |
WOW! The Internet has been declared SAFE!
Do you feel safer, today? Just knowing I’ve been declared safer by “experts” while I type out this blog post makes me feel…well, disappointed.
I have to be more than a it cynical here. I’m not fomenting paranoia or fear, that doesn’t help with safety. On the other hand, a new report in January, along with its media hyped headlines, can set back online safety, too.
The report is, ironically enough, by the same self-appointed sheriffs of the internet that rode after and rounded up Myspace last year.
“Enhancing Child Safety & Online Technology”, is a report commissioned by 49 state Attorneys General and completed by the Technical Task Force. This report generated eye-catching headlines such as “Internet No Threat to Children.”
I hoping you see headlines like “Study Blasted for Downplaying Online Threats to Children.”
The Task Force reached 4 major conclusions:
1. The belief that predators run rampant on social networking sites has been largely exaggerated.
2. Cyberbullying presents a more widespread threat to kids than predators.
3. More research is needed to fully assess the threat of both predators and cyberbullies.
4. Technology, such as age-verification, will not solve all the problems.
Most of the studies were completed before social networking really took off. There is no way to know the impact of kids on these sites yet. In thier favor, the Task Force does say more research is needed.
Nobody has to stay up at night worrying about their kids being stalked by online predators all the time. We knew that. Don’t get complacent, either. Parents are #1 in the first line of defense to protect your kids online.
Teaching your child the basics of good online safety is one of the best ways to keep them out of scams and traps as they become adults, too. By then, the attorneys generals could declare other things completely safe, too and happily….I could retire!
Posted by Joyce on February 10, 2009 under Cyberbullies |
Get ready mom and dad! Yes…..here comes another book!
More importantly, I’ve linked up with Vanessa Van Petten of On Teens Today fame - leading teen guru, writer, and major mom blog-maven.
We’re starting a series of posts and events on cyberbullying but from the side you would never expect. If there are some 70 million kids online saying they have been badly cyberbullied, chances are one of those bullies is your child.
So we’re getting real about it. We’re teaming up and I’m the old maid, internet safety “head” and parent and she’s the young, beautiful and brilliant woman writer with a massive teen and parent following.
It doesn’t get any better than this!
Look for our posts on both our blogs starting March 1, 2009. Look for the book next year! Send me your stories on your child’s online activities, too! Did you see an email or text message from your child you shouldn’t have?
In the meantime, check out Vanessa’s superb blog By Clicking Here and look for us to go toe-to-toe on cyberbullies.
