The Dangers and Safe Use
of "MySpace" "The Internet" "Email"
MySpace, Xanga, and Facebook and other websites are the new social gathering
places for students and are available to anyone in the World.
72 Million people currently have personal pages on MySpace and
the number grows daily. These types of sites provide a place for text
messaging, instant messaging, chat rooms, message blogs, personal information
and pictures.
Communication online has replaced the
telephone and face-to-face conversations. Students and people in general use
the Internet as a means to interact with each other and make friends.
While this technology is great, it has many potential dangers and can make
students vulnerable to many types of abuse, attacks and unwanted attention.
Some students excessive and risky use of the
Internet comes with some real danger. Pornography,
Hate sites, Inappropriate how to sites, Cyber-Bullying, Child Predators,
Damaging Viruses, and many other items are just some of the dangers that
lurk at the click of the mouse and a few strokes on the keyboard.
Tonight the PAWS Committee with the support
of the Teachers, Principals and Staff of Bullitt Central High School will show
you some of the key things to be aware of and the steps you and your children
can take to protect your families from some of the dangers on MySpace, The
Internet and Email.
Cyber Bullying: Breaking It Down
Beware of the Cyber
Bully!!!!
Cyber Bullying is verbal harassment that
occurs during online activities. Cyber Bullying can take many forms:
· A threatening e-mail
· Nasty instant messaging session
· Repeated notes sent to a cell phone
· A website set up to mock others
· "Borrowing" someone’s screen
name and pretending to be them while posting a message.
· Forwarding supposedly private messages,
pictures, orvideo to others.
·Don’t give out private information such
as passwords, pins, name, address, phone number, school name, or family and
friends’ names. Don’t even reveal your password to your friends. They might
reveal it or use it against you in a fight.
·Don’t exchange pictures or give out
e-mail addresses to people you meet on the Internet. Ask permission from
parents when it is necessary to give such information.
·Don’t send a message when you are
angry—it’s hard to undo things that are said in anger.
·Delete messages from people you don’t
know, or those from people who seem angry or mean.
·When something doesn’t seem right, it
probably isn’t. Get out of the site,chat, etc.· Realize that online
conversations are not private. Others can copy, print, and share what you say
or any pictures you send. Be careful!
Peer to Peer P2P File Sharing
Napster, Kazaa, Lime Wire, Etc…are all
Examples of Peer to Peer File Sharing
Remember when people used Napster to
download their favorite song rather then trekking to Wal-Mart to buy the CD.
Although, Napster is now legal for a fee, others aren’t, and now a whole lot
more then music can be found on peer-to-peer networks. So just what is
peer-to-peer networking (P2P)?
When you access the internet you open a
browser such as Netscape, Internet Explorer, etc. P2P is a similar concept. It
is an application that runs on your computer and allows you to share files. P2P
networking allows computers to communicate directly with one another rather
then through a central server like a website. With P2P software you can allow
anyone in the world to copy files directly from your computer. This could be a
single file, a whole folder, or even your entire hard drive.
"Without care, you may be sharing more
than you think." like a search engine on the Internet, P2P software allows
a user to type in a search term. The search will turn up files with that term
in them. "The search pulls from any computer currently connected to
the Internet running that P2P software." You can then select the files you
want to download; you could be downloading files from a computer in China.
While P2P can be neat and fun to use, there
are definitely many dangers associated with it. P2P networks have been the
centerpiece of intellectual property lawsuits,
especially those involving illegally downloaded music. Numerous
P2P users have been sued by record companies for illegally downloading
copyrighted music that they didn’t pay for. It’s not just music, either.
Pirated Hollywood movies and software are frequently traded across P2P
networks. File sharing across the peer-to-peer network can lead you to
inadvertently breaking copyright laws.
File-sharing over P2P networks also puts the user at risk for computer viruses
attached to the shared files. While P2P networks are useful and provide a
beneficial service, they also provide an opportunity for abuse and computer
virus transmission.
Spyware: Are You Aware?
Most peer-to-peer networking software now
comes entangled with all types of spyware and adware. To download Kazaa,
Blubster, or others you must automatically accept the inclusion of this other
"software."
In addition, removal of spyware or adware
often causes the peer-to-peer software to stop working. So what is the big deal
about a little spyware or adware?
1. You are being spied on. The spyware and
adware snoop on your behavior and transmit information over the Internet to
third parties. This can include private data such as credit card numbers.
2. Spyware and adware cause your system or
network to run slower. The constant transferring of information uses up
bandwith and computer resources.
3. It’s annoying. Spyware and adware can
cause frequent pop-up browsers and other annoying hassles while online or
surfing the Internet.
Interesting Peer-to-Peer Facts
· There are 150 million + users of
peer-to-peer software. (Internetfilterreview.com)
· Students 12-18 years old make up 41% of
American P2P users. (Recording Industry Association of America)
· 56% of files found using innocent
search terms were pornographic. (House committee on Government Reform and
General Accounting Office)
Blogging
The Promise and Perils of Blogging
· Blogs: Journals posted on the Internet.
· Weblogs: Another name for blogs.
· Blogs are maintained in chronological
order by date of post. People who read the blog are usually welcome to post
replies, their thoughts, etc. This makes most blogs interactive.
· Blogging makes the writer feel like
they are writing confidentially because they are behind a screen. However, the
reality is that anyone online can read the blog. This can be dangerous.
Blog Tips
1. Password-protect your blog. Make sure
that nobody knows your password other than your parents.
2. Do not include very personal and detailed
information (places you hang out, malls, etc.)
3. Do not complete a profile or include
name, address, phone number, school, zip code, e-mail address, or screen name
in your blog. Predators are looking, so don't do it!
4. Do not release any personal information
about anyone else you know either. Doing so would be just like
telling a predator "I'm not interested in speaking with you, but my best
friend Chelsea would be more than happy to."
5. Pretend that you are a predator. Read
your writing and see if you can pick out details that lead to revealing
personal info about you. If you come across anything objectionable, change it
so it is less identifying to the unknown and potentially dangerous reader.
6. Do not include photos of yourself or
others in your blog.
7. Do not leave your blog page open and your
computer unattended. Someone could step in and write something as you.
8. Do not spread gossip or slander about
your classmates.
MySpace
MySpace can be a fun place for friends to
communicate, but it can also be a place
that can lead to Suicide, Depression, Kidnaping, Rape, Harassment and host of
other dangers. Knowing how to use MySpace and Protect yourself is the key to a
fun and safe MySpace Experience.
• Don't forget that your profile and MySpace forums are
public spaces. Don't post anything
you wouldn't want the world to know (e.g., your phone number, address, IM
screens name, or specific whereabouts). Avoid posting anything that would make
it easy for a stranger to find you, such as where you hang out every day after
school.
•
People aren't always who they say
they are. Be careful about adding strangers to your friends list. It's fun to connect with new MySpace friends from
all over the world, but avoid meeting people in person whom you do not fully
know. If you must meet someone, do it in a public place and bring a friend or
trusted adult.
•
Harassment, hate speech and
inappropriate content should be reported. If you feel someone's behavior is inappropriate, react. Talk with a
trusted adult, or report it to MySpace or the authorities.
•
Don't post anything that would
embarrass you later. Think twice
before posting a photo or info you wouldn't want your parents or boss to see!
•
Don't mislead people into thinking
that you're older or younger. If you
lie about your age, MySpace will delete your profile.
Other MySpace Tips
1. Set Your Page to Private. This allows
only people you give access to view your page.
2. Don’t Share Your Password or Login.
3. Don’t write things when your angry.
Online comments are permanent.
4. Don’t respond to insults or comments
about your friends. This is what the Author of the insults wants.
5. Don’t Share personal information. Age,
Phone number, where you live, Etc.
6. Report hate speech, harassment, and
threats to MySpace and your local police.
EMAIL Safety Tips
1. Do not open email from people you do not
know.
2. Be very careful about opening attachments
even from people you know. Viruses can send email from another persons computer
without them knowing and can wipe out your computer.
3. Do not go to internet links from emails
unless you know who sent it.
4. Send email threats or harassment to your
local police of the FBI.
5. Never send financial or personal
information in emails.
EMAIL Safety Tips Continued
6. Remember your email address is shown on
all emails and anything you send can be sent on to others.
7. Email forwards can be modified to look as
if someone wrote something they did not.
8. Fraud is rampant through email. Many
people use spoof addresses and make it seem like you are responding to an
official agency or company.
Always call the Company or Agency on the
phone before responding.
INTERNET
/ COMPUTER SAFETY
1. Monitor what your kids are doing online.
Nothing can replace parental involvement
2. Ensure you have a firewall program that
includes Antivirus / Anti-Spyware / Anti-Malware / Internet Filter / Popup
blocker and Activity Log. One of the best programs out there is BSAFEONLINE. It
offers all of the items above but also allows you to control all aspects of
internet use and gives you a monthly report of online activity. You can set
when the computer can access any online service and even locks out the computer
if sites you setup are trying to be accessed.
3. Keep the computer used by the kids in a
common area such as the living room, kitchen or family room.