Ad4dcss/Digital Citizenship

Although there are those high-profile news stories of how cyber bullying has led kids to commit suicide, most of it is much lower key. High-school-age kids tell stories of how cyber bullying has become a routine part of the world they inhabit, so pervasive that they can't imagine a time when it didn't take place.

Sexual predators are using gaming consoles such as the Wii, PlayStation and Xbox to meet children online. "Child predators are migrating from traditional methods to alternate media," says Detective Lt. Thomas Kish of the Michigan State Police. "They are going to places where children are." Predators view games that allow kids to access the Internet and text message other players as a "foot in the door," he says.

Short video of Internet Safety presentation at NECC 2008

This short lecture was presented as part of the April 30, 2008 meeting of the Internet Safety Technical Task Force in Washington, DC. The speaker is Amanda Lenhart of the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

What is the best way to open a discussion with your children, on a complicated subject such as online safety? Can Mom and Dad get "it"? In this article, Norton's Internet Safety Advocate Marian Merritt introduces easy ways to help you start "The Talk", and keep the dialogue going with your family. Includes 5 questions you should ask and talking tips to guide you in the conversation.

At NECC, there are way too many places to be at the same time. If you happened to miss some of the sessions, here are the webcasts and video links

17-minute parent presentation on cybersafety developed by IKeepSafe and Comcast with Bob McDonnell, Attorney General, Commonwealth of Virginia. The video is available free for all Comcast Digital Cable customers via Comcast's signature On Demand service. It explores the risks associated with the Internet, and teaches parents and guardians how to become involved and take action to protect their children from these risks. It can also be downloaded online.

These notes were taken on the Technology Policy workshop given by Dr. Larry Anderson at NECC and cite the top issues for which a policy must be developed. Other handouts are available at the NECC site , including a case study. [Scroll down to the bottom of the page].

PSA created for BeSafe Network.

PSA sponsored by US Attorney General's Office to teach girls to think before they post.

With Photoshop's ease in alteration of photos, students need to be taught to authenticate visual and textual information as part of any good digital literacy program. A recent photograph of Iranian missles was displayed by many prominent news organizations (including the BBC, the L.A. Times, and the New York Times) before it was noted that portions of the dust clouds beneath the missiles were identical. Online news sites have been abuzz all morning, engaged in a debate over what, exactly, this means. As the New York Times notes, this is not the first time Iran's state media has altered photographs for political ends.

Anne Collier's collective thoughts on attending her first NECC and her immersive experience in Second Life for education.

Student work-arounds to blocked sites just got a little easier! MySpace jumped on the iPhone bandwagon, today unveiling an application that will deliver a mobile version of the social network to Apple's hugely popular smartphone. Another reason why we need to emphasize digital citizenship rather than blocking access!

Real stories about teens who were cyberbullied. Could be used as discussion starters.

Delegates at a meeting of a national teachers' organization have unanimously voted in favour of urging the federal government to make cyberbullying a criminal offense. Members of the Canadian Teachers' Federation endorsed the policy of taking a tougher stand against cyberbullies at the group's annual meeting Saturday in Moncton.

Cyberbullying is becoming so prevalent in Canadian schools and society that it should be made a separate Criminal Code offense, according to a new policy that will be adopted Saturday by the Canadian Teachers' Federation.

Meet the new philanthropists - Silicon Valley teens with innate computer networking skills, affluent family connections and the one-click ability to bear witness to global poverty.

John Walsh, children's advocate and host of America's Most Wanted, will discuss what parents and guardians can do to help protect and educate their children about the potential dangers of online predators and offer tips for safer surfing. Live Webcast. Wednesday, July 23, 2008 1:00 PM Eastern

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt signed a bill Monday outlawing cyberbullying, just miles from where a 13-year-old girl committed suicide nearly two years ago after being harassed on the Internet.\n\nThe bill updates state laws against harassment by removing the requirement that the communication be written or over the telephone. Supporters say the bill now covers harassment from computers, text messages and other electronic devices.

Media stories over the past year have heightened public awareness regarding cyber safety, teens and the use of information and communication technology (ICT) use. The emphasis of media attention has often been on the victimization and bullying of teens occurring on social network sites such as Myspace and Facebook. The prominence placed on ICT platforms, such as the Internet and Cell Phones, as threatening spheres has resulted in a narrow view of cyber security. Instead, I argue that we need to rethink the meaning of cyber safety for teens and begin a more complex dialog about best cyber safety practices.