Ad4dcss/Digital Citizenship

Cybersmart Detectives is an innovative online game that teaches children key internet safety messages in a safe environment. Children work online in real time liaising with community professionals to solve an internet-themed problem. The activity is based in the school environment, and brings together a number of agencies with an interest in promoting online safety for young people, including State and Federal Police, internet industry representatives and child welfare advocates. In the scenario, children play the role of a school Deputy Principal concerned about the welfare of a new student, who may be being bullied by someone they have met in an internet chat room. Guided by a series of clues, children work collaboratively in teams to solve the mystery of what is worrying the student, and why. 'Cybersmart Guides' respond to the questions and theories posed by the students, and guide the teams through each of the 'clues'. As the scenario unfolds, the children discuss the risks of certain online and offline behaviours, and ways of managing those risks. Although the scenario presented in the activity is simulated, the sense of urgency that excites a class of children taking part is very real. By the end of the activity children will have learned some valuable lessons about some of the risks associated with internet use, especially useful tips for chatting safely online. More importantly, the issues that lie behind the story will have been discussed with professionals who deal with similar issues on a daily basis. Cybersmart Detectives was initially developed by UK-based child advocacy agency Childnet International, and until 2005, operated under the name of Net Detectives. The activity is now independently operated by E-ngagelive. The Australian Communications and Media Authority ( ACMA ), by agreement with E-ngagelive , has adapted the activity for use in Australian schools under the name Cybersmart Detectives.

NetModerator, a software tool built by Crisp Thinking, a private company based in Leeds, England, can monitor online chat “for intent as well as content,” says Andrew Lintell, the company’s chief executive. To build the tool, he says, Crisp Thinking analyzed roughly 700 million lines of chat traffic, some from conversations between children and some, like conversations between children and sexual predators, provided by law enforcement groups.

Sexual predators are always a concern, she says, though she described the likelihood of a child being targeted by an adult with malicious intent as “statistically low.”

“Imagine a thousand children, 95 percent of whom have excellent typing skills, all typing at the same time,” she says. “Now try to monitor those conversations as they scroll past you on a screen.”

Childnet's Know IT All for Primary Schools has been especially designed for primary school staff to help them understand important E-safety issues and how to help young pupils get the most out of the internet

“This cyber-safety bill is a critical step toward protecting Kentuckians from the very real threats that come with 21st century innovations and toward helping to prevent further abuses of these technologies,” said Beshear. “Kentucky families will be safer because of this bill.”HB 315, which was authored by Conway and primarily sponsored by Bell, makes it a Class D felony to solicit a minor for sexual activity through electronic communication. Through this legislation it is unlawful to “cyberstalk,” which is defined as intentionally alarming, annoying, intimidating or harassing a person with no legitimate purpose through electronic communication. This bill also includes tougher regulations for sex offenders when they use electronic communication.