The document provides guidance for parents of preschoolers regarding technology use and online safety, emphasizing the importance of supervising children’s interactions with screens. It highlights key issues such as privacy, internet dangers, and the impact of screens on child development. Practical tips are offered for maintaining safety online, including parental controls, monitoring usage, and educating children about privacy and cyberbullying.

1. Tech- Smart Parents
and Preschoolers
Barry Caplin Prior Lake - Savage
Chief Information Security Officer Early Childhood
Minnesota Department of Human Services Family Education
barry.caplin@state.mn.us, bc@bjb.org Feb. 2, 2013
@bcaplin, +barrycaplin, *bcaplin
http://about.me/barrycaplin
http://securityandcoffee.blogspot.com
Slides at http://www.slideshare.net/bcaplin
Handouts at http://www.bjb.org/stuff/talks/

3. Interactive
• Please… ask questions!
• Please… answer questions!

4. Disclaimer
I’m still figuring out this
Parenting thing also…

5. So
much
has
change
d

7. Digital Natives will soon
be parents

8. Stuf f
“saf ety” newborns
Privacy toddlers
technolog preschool
y ers

9. “saf ety” – many preschoolers don’t
interact with others online
Privacy – parents must know what
info they give away

10. Dangers
Stranger/Non-stranger danger
Privacy/identity issues
Health/lack of exercise
perhaps the biggest issue!

11. “Digital Birth”
Online sonograms, pregnancy tweets
Birth photos
6% of newborns have an email address;
6% social network profile
>90% have online presence by age 2 in US
Ave. “digital birth” age 6 mos.; 1/3 at birth

12. Newborns and
screens
Screens distract parents!
Screens distract babies!
Your voice is interactive – online/TV voice
is less so
Online/TV sound can cause stress
TV commercials are often loud
from The Mediatrician http://cmch.typepad.com/mediatrician/

13. Awesome free infant and toddler games and activities
at babygamer.com

15. Tips f or Internet Use
From mumsnet.com
Keep devices centralized and supervise use
Talk about games and sites
Use parental control software
Screens are not a babysitter – play together
http://www.mumsnet.com/internet-safety/preschool-children

16. P School Saf ety
re-

17. Tips f or Internet Use
Talk about keeping personal info private –
what goes on the web, stays on the web
Don’t use real names, other info, on sites
Talk about online strangers like real world
Limit screen use
Monitor screen use
Spend time online together

19. Tech – P saf ety
C
Krebs 3 Rules for Safety:
1.If you didn’t go looking for it, don’t install
it;
2.If you installed, update it;
3.If you no longer need it, get rid of it!
Go to this web page and do what they say!
http://krebsonsecurity.com/tools-for-a-safer-pc/

20. Geolocation
The world knows
• Where you are
• Where you are not

21. The ‘Net Never
Forgets
• Anything posted remains for a long time
• Caching/Archiving
• Who else might view your info?:
– Neighbors
– Acquaintances
– Future: school officials, job interviews,
college admissions officials

22. Reputation
Management
• Remove or untag pictures
• Ask friends/others to do the same
• Limit info on public profiles
For Parents and older kids:
• LinkedIn.com
• ClaimId.com/Naymz.com
• Blog

23. Reputation
Management
For Parents and older kids:
•Get involved - generate good publicity
•Don’t get into online arguments (and
if you do… drop it!)
•You may need professional help
(technical… not the other kind)

24. What to Do?
Handouts
• Resources for Parents of
Pre-schoolers
• Parental Tools

25. Bullying – Old School
• Physical – schoolyard, hallway,
locker room, bathroom
• Verbal – rumors, taunting
• Written – notes, walls
Don’t share your locker combo!

26. Online Bullying – New
School
• Supplements the “old fashioned” kind
• Available 24x7
• Victims won’t tell – don’t want access
cut off
Don’t share your password!
www.stopcyberbullying.org

27. What to do…
Educate your kids
– To respect others
– To take a stand
– To not respond to cyberbullies
Communicate
– Be the trusted resource
No “catch-all” fix – but many resources

28. Cell Phones
• They’re everywhere!
• Special phones/plans for younger
kids
• Calls, texting, pictures, video,
games, apps, music, Internet…
• Internet access is truly mobile!
• Harder to know what they’re
doing
• Cell data services $$$

31. Cell Phones

32. Other
good
ideas
Cell phone as a baby monitor – 2 phones and
…
free m2m minutes
Alarm for transition times
Maintain up-t0-date photos – daily when
away from home
Teach phone etiquette – it could save your
life!

33. What to Do?
Handouts
• Top 12 Tips for Cell
Phones and Kids
• PC protection tools
• Safe Web Surfing tips

34. Discussion?
Slides at http://www.slideshare.net/bcaplin
Handouts at http://www.bjb.org/stuff/talks/
barry.caplin@state.mn.us, bc@bjb.org
@bcaplin, +barrycaplin, *bcaplin
about.me/barrycaplin, delicious.com/bcaplin
Securityandcoffee.blogspot.com