Social Media Safety

Social Media Safety for Kids and Parents

Over the past year, we have been seeing more and more issues arising from social media. . . yes, in elementary school!

Students are accessing more and more sites and apps.  Most students are using ipods, ipads and phones to access these apps, and their parents are often not aware that they are using the apps or how they are using the apps.   Students who have never been in trouble are getting caught up in cyberbullying, teasing, and rumors.  And many students are "friending" people that they do not know and sharing private information online, putting themselves in very dangerous situations.

Here you can find an article about the new challenges of monitoring online activity: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/monitoring-children-online-activity-facebook-article-1.1291993

Here's some information and tips to keep your child safe online. Together we can keep our students safe and teach them to make response decisions online and in real life!!
First, here are some general safety tips to share with your child:

—Be picky about your “friends”—never add anyone who you don’t know in real life, and don’t add people who are “questionable” friends

—Don’t post personal information about yourself such as address, phone number, where you live, where you are going on vacation, school, etc.

—Don’t post pictures that you wouldn’t want EVERYONE YOU KNOW to see. Once you post it, you can’t take it back.

—Don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t say in real life to the person’s face. Lots of “good kids” get in trouble for saying bad things online.

—“Grandma rule”—if you wouldn’t want your grandma to read it or see it, don’t put it online.

—Respect age restrictions. If the app does not allow users under 13, then you don’t need to be using that app!

—Set the strictest privacy features possible. Get your parents to help you if need be.

Popular Apps and Sites:You Tube:

—Age requirements: 13 and older

—Risks: Contact with strangers; posts and comments are allowed; videos can be shared via weblink; people can post videos of you without your permission; inappropriate videos can be watched; —Safety procedures: Set account to highest privacy settings; do not allow people to post material with you in it.

Facebook: 

—Age requirements: 13 and older

—Risks: Contact with strangers; sharing inappropriate content; cyberbullying through chat/posts; photos can unknowingly be saved and shared; your location can be disclosed.

—Safety procedures: Only accept people you know in real life; do not talk to strangers; monitor the material you post; set account to private.

Instagram: 

—Age requirements: 13 and older

—Risks: Inappropriate photos that can’t be taken back; inappropriate comments made or received; strangers; all pictures/content are property of Instagram; “photo map” identifies your location; photos can unknowingly be saved and shared; can be shared with Facebook and Twitter allowing more people to see your posts without your permission; hashtags that are used can be traced to your account.

—Safety procedures: Only friend people you know. Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want grandma to see or read. Don’t say anything you wouldn’t say in person. Use privacy features.

Kik:

—Age requirements: 13 and older

—Risks: Contact with strangers; inappropriate pictures/videos that can be sent to others; phone number, email, and other personal information can be disclosed for legal action and/or people at risk of being harmed; allows vague user names to anonymously post material; photos can unknowingly be saved and shared.

—Safety procedures: Make sure your profile is private. Block users who you do not know or who may be sending inappropriate content.

Twitter:

—Age requirements: None

—Risks: Archives tweets; strangers; inappropriate pictures that can’t be taken back; inappropriate messages received or sent; hashtags that are used can be traced to your account; photos can unknowingly be saved and shared.

—Safety procedures: Set your account to private; monitor the content you post; do not accept stranger’s follow requests; do not disclose personal information.

Snapchat:

—Age requirements: 12 and older

—Risks: Contact with strangers; deleted messages cannot be retrieved; messages can be captured by screen shots

—Safety procedures: Make sure your profile is private. Block users who you do not know or who may be sending inappropriate content.