Internet Safety focuses on developing communication and trust with children, supervising their online activity, and installing security software. Parents should make social media accounts private, monitor friends and pages, and discuss online reputation. Structure and rules should provide for homework completion before online time, no more than 3 hours daily of approved sites, and reporting suspicious activity. Cyberbullying can spiral out of control through technology and spreading rumors, photos or messages. Evidence should be saved and bullies blocked or accounts deleted and replaced if harassment occurs via email, social media, IM or chat rooms. Contact providers or change phone numbers if harassment is via text or calls.

1. Internet Safety

2. What YOU Can Do Focus on the purpose and value of online activity before giving permission or otherwise supporting. Being rational or logical with adolescents may not work .. But try it!

3. What YOU Can Do Develop a relationship with your child that fosters communication & trust Don’t freak out when they tell you what they have seen or heard Support your child’s school Install extra security such as blocking, filtering, and key logging software.

4. What YOU Can Do Supervise when the child is online Put the computer in an easily viewable location & monitor Dock all gadgets before bed in an open area Monitor websites & social networks your child frequents.

5. If they must social network… Make account PRIVATE & only REAL friends. ONLY positive personal/private information Monitor “friends” pages for the same Discuss their “Online Reputation”: Once it’s out, you can never get it back!

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7. What YOU Can Do Provide structure and rules about being online: Only after homework is complete On the average, for no more than 3 hours per day All web sites must be parent approved before visiting “ Report any suspicious activity”

8. Cyberbullying Cyberbullying is bullying through Internet applications & technology such as: instant messaging (IM), social networking sites, & cell phones. It can start easily—with a rumor, a photo, or a forwarded message—and just as easily spiral out of control. An embarrassing video posted to a social networking site by someone in Meadville tonight may be watched by someone in Japan tomorrow.

12. How to respond to cyberbullying Do not to respond to rude e-mails, messages, & comments. Save the evidence: e-mail & text messages, and take screenshots of comments & images. If harassment is via e-mail, social networking sites, IM, & chat rooms: “block” bullies or delete your child’s current account & open a new one. If harassment is via text and phone messages: Contact cell phone provider &/or change the phone number. Only share the new number with trustworthy people & block the harrassing number.