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In the "fight or flight response," your body is ready to keep you safe but is often overreacting to events that can be better resolved from a more relaxed state

Pew Internet & American Life Project for the Family Online Safety Institute and Cable in the Classroom--concluded that "[m]ost American teens who use social media say that in their experience, people their age are mostly kind to one another on social network sites." Nearly seven in ten (69 percent) of teens said that peers are mostly kind while 20 percent said peers are mostly unkind with 11 percent saying, "it depends."

Nobody would dispute that the risks of children using social media are real and not to be taken lightly. But there are also dangers offline. The teachers and parents who embrace social media say the best way to keep kids safe, online or offline, is to teach them.

"Youth Safety on a Living Internet" report said that parents and teachers should "promote online citizenship and media-literacy education, and actively encourage the children's participation in the process..... Teaching children civil, respectful behavior online and offline is the key to fostering a safe Internet environment," the group stated in its report,

Just as kids used to hang out in parks, bowling alleys, and malls, they are now hanging out online. Instead of talking, they're often texting or interacting via their social-networking profiles. While these activities can be time-wasting, they can also be productive, helping kids define their identities, reinforce offline social relationships and express themselves in a variety of ways.

Developing Responsible-Use Policies:

best way schools can contribute to safe and appropriate use of the Internet and student owned-mobile devices is to move from the traditional AUP approach to an RUP—a “responsible-use policy” approach.

RUP policy/philosophy that treats the student as a person responsible for ethical and healthy use of the Internet and mobile devices.

We share and transmit a lot of personal information online. This is especially true for students, who not only use academic online tools that require personal information, but who are also incredibly active social network users. Whether a ninth grader, college senior or parent, these privacy tips can help you and your family stay safe this school year.