The folks at Dateline created this mock MYSPACE page to illustrate how information can become too much information. Roll your mouse over each part of the profile, to see why the information is potentially dangerous. This model could be used to open a great dialogue with students on cybersafety and privacy practices.
Flash cartoons based on Charlie's Angels that teach kids about how to stay safe on the internet [from the folks at Wired Safety]. Topics include: Cyberbullying, Predators and Strangers, Personal Information, Piracy, Cyber Citizenship, and Protecting your computer.
Privacy Playground: The First Adventure of the Three Little CyberPigs was developed by the Media Awareness Network. In this game, designed for ages 8-10, the CyberPigs play on their favourite Web site and encounter marketing ploys, spam and a close encounter with a not-too-friendly wolf. The purpose of the game is to teach kids how to spot online marketing strategies, protect their personal information and avoid online predators. The accompanying Teacher's Guide explains how to play the game, gives background information on the issues of online marketing, spam and children's privacy and provides activities and handouts for classroom use.
Blog from Danah Boyd. Last week, she and three other social scientists participated in an Internet Caucus panel in DC. David Finkelhor (Director of Crimes Against Children Research Center), Amanda Lenhart (PEW), and Michele Ybarra (President of Internet Solutions for Kids) all presented quantitative data. Most of the press coverage of Michele and David's work has been consistently inaccurate in representing the implications of their findings. So they've helped clarify some of the misinterpretations. The Internet Caucus put the video up online so you can view the actual conversation.
Personal note: David Finkelhor has a great document that helps with clarifying interpretations of his work. He coaches you on what to say. You can download INTERNET SAFETY EDUCATION FOR TEENS: GETTING IT RIGHT and use it for your next presentation!
This highly respected newsletter by Anne Collier is pubished once a week and is must reading for parents trying to stay current with new about kids' use of the Internet.
My (Liz B. Davis ) Summary of Key Points (All are quotes directly from the article): Online "Predators" and Their Victims. Myths, Realities, and Implications for Prevention and Treatment. by: Janis Wolak, David Finkelhor, and Kimberly J. Mitchell - University of New Hampshire and Michele L. Ybarra - Internet Solutions for Kids, Inc.
The publicity about online"predators" who prey on naive children using trickery and violence is largely inaccurate.
adult offenders who meet, develop relationships with, and openly seduce underage teenagers
In the great majority of cases, victims are aware they are conversing online with adults. In the N-JOV Study, only 5% of offenders pretended to be teens when they met potential victims online. (112)
Offenders rarely deceive victims about their sexual interests.
promises of love and romance
99% of victims of Internet-initiated sex crimes in the N-JOV Study were 13 to 17 years old, and none were younger than 12. 48% were 13 or 14 years old. (115)
it was those 15-17 years of age who were most prone to take risks involving privacy and contact with unknown people. (115)
take place in isolation and secrecy, outside of oversight by peers, family members, and others in the youth's face-to-face social networks (115)
Most of the online child molesters described in the N-JOV Study met their victims in chatrooms. In a 2006 study, about one third of youths who received online sexual solicitation had received them in chatrooms. (116)
Youth internet users with histories of offline sexual or physical abuse appear to be considerably more likely to receive online aggressive sexual solicitations. (117)
..Although Internet safety advocates worry that posting personal information exposes youths to online molesters, we have not found empirical evidence that supports this concern. It is interactive behaviors, such as conversing online with unknown people about sex, that more clearly create risk. (117)
Online molesters do not appear to be stalking unsuspecting victims but rather continuing to seek youths who are susceptible to seduction. (117)
maintaining online blogs or journals, which are similar to social networking sites in that they often include considerable amounts of personal information and pictures, is not related to receiving aggressive sexual solicitation unless youths also interact online with unknown people. (117)
Boys constitute 25% of victims in Internet-initiated sex crimes, and virtually all of their offenders are male. (118
Some gay boys turn to the internet to find answers to questions about sexuality or meet potential romantic partners, and there they may encounter adults who exploit them. (118)
..child molesters are, in reality, a diverse group that cannot be accurately characterized with one-dimensional labels. (118)
Online child molesters are generally not pedophiles. (118)Online child molesters are rarely violent. (119)
Child pornography production is also an aspect of Internet-initiated sex crimes. One in five online child molesters in the N-JOV Study took sexually suggestive or explicit photographs of victims or convinced victims to take such photographs of themselves or friends. (120)
Youths may be more willing to talk extensively and about more intimate matters with adults online than in face-to-face environments. (121
it may not be clear to many adolescents and adults that relationships between adults and underage adolescents are criminal. (122)
Simply urging parents and guardians to control, watch, or educate their children may not be effective in many situations. The adolescents who tend to be the victims of Internet-initiated sex crimes many not themselves be very receptive to the advice and supervision of parents. (122)
We recommend educating youths frankly about the dynamics of Internet-initiated and other nonforcible sex crimes. Youths need candid, direct discussions about seduction and how some adults deliberately evoke and then exploit the compelling feelings that sexual arousal can induce. (122)
Let's remember that although there are direct references to gay and male pedophiles of gay boys, that 99% of child sex offenders identify as heterosexual, online or offline.
Cool summary of an article by Liz B. Davis -- Liz took the article and extracted the most valuable bits to her using google Docs. This methodology is fascinating, but even moreso the fact we may all begin doing this together with Diigo.
Anne Collier wrote this landmark article and thoughtful analysis of Predator Fact vs Myth n her blog in 2007. It was widely cited in the blogosphere, for she was one of the first to articulate the concerns about the media sensationalizing predator incidents while the rapidly escalating problem of cyberbullying was all but being ignored.
The Center for Safe Schools in Pennsylvania has produced this 22-minute Internet safety video: Protecting Kids Online. This Internet safety resource speaks to parents and caregivers on topics from understanding the serious repercussion of cyber-bullying to learning how to safeguard our children from online predators. There are many first-person accounts and real stories told here that would be helpful in generating a discussion.
Links to video/audio and full transcripts of a children's online safety panel [May 2007] with Danah Boyd, David Finkelhor, Amanda Lenhart and Michelle Yberra. This was the first time these prominent academics have appeared together to present their research, which, altogether, represents volumes of data on the state of online youth victimization and online youth habits. The 34-page transcript/download is worth the read. You'll also want to download a copy of David Finkelhor's Just the Facts: Getting It Right , which he developed so that presenters would accurately represent his research findings. In this document, he coaches you explicitly on how to report the facts. Very valuable, since reports on incidences of online victimization are so inconsistent and so many people misinterpret the findings!
Like many states, Texas now has state legislation driving cybersafety education in schools. In accordance with HB 3171, Section 38.023, the Texas Education Agency has developed and made available to school districts a list of resources concerning Internet Safety. In the navigation bar are links to 3 types of pages which are for students, educators and parents. Within each of the pages are links that categorize different aspects of Internet safety and digital citizenship to educate and inform.
These powerful stories teach teens to examine their behavior and encourage them to be proactive in preventing victimization of themselves and others.Teens share their own "Real-Life Stories" about issues affecting them on the Internet such as cyberbullying, online enticement, and giving out too much personal information. At CTAP, we love these videos and frequently feature them in our workshops and trainings "Feathers in the Wind" and "You Can't Take It Back" are two of our favorites. "Amy's Choice" is also a compelling video clip.
Chatroulette, a Web site that connects videochatters with a limitless number of "random strangers" from around the globe, is an Internet sensation -- but it poses unique dangers for minors and new challenges for law enforcement.
Organized by ASPIRA of NY, a Latino youth services organization. This site is dedicated to promoting cyber awareness, particularly within the Latino community, and to helping parents protect themselves and their children against cyber predators, bullies and frauds. Information on cyberbullying, cybersafety, cyberfraud and cyberpredators is available in English & Spanish.
Students read and interpret a fictional short story about a girl who was nearly abducted from an online predator.
For a real life version of this, see Katie Canton's story.
In this game, designed for ages 8-10, the CyberPigs play on their favourite Web site and encounter marketing ploys, spam and a close encounter with a not-too-friendly wolf. The purpose of the game is to teach kids how to spot online marketing strategies, protect their personal information and avoid online predators.
Four Videos and lesson plans from the Australian Government. The videos present four situations in four stories-offering many strategies to address the issues raised. Covers topics in all areas of digital citizenship.
Excellent 8-minute video from the UK's Thinkuknow education program that helps children to understand what constitutes personal information. The assembly enables children to understand that they need to be just as protective of their personal information online, as they are in the real world. It also directs where to go and what to do if children are worried about any of the issues covered.