Internet safety explained to parents of exploring kids
By DAILY CHRONICLE
Parents and caregivers in DeKalb County attended a presentation on Oct. 15 to hear Sarah Migas, Internet safety specialist from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Computer Crime’s Division, speak on Internet safety.
This presentation was sponsored jointly by Family Service Agency of DeKalb County’s Children’s Advocacy Center and DCP/SAFE Community Violence Committee.
Migas provided a comprehensive overview of the use of technology by young people, according to a news release. She helped the audience understand the risks associated with uncontrolled access to the Internet. Her presentation included anecdotal experiences from which the audience learned the vulnerabilities to predators from unbridled messaging and chatting on the Internet.
Migas said adolescents have much naïveté in understanding the risks associated with indiscriminate sharing of passwords and sending information over the Internet. She pointed out sending such information via the Internet is like writing with a permanent marker. She cautioned youth should not write or send anything on the Internet that they would not say in front of their parents or want them to see.
Social networks encourage truthful information be registered with a user ID; however, there is no truth verification that occurs with such sites. Perpetrators can represent themselves as a young person merely wanting to be a friend. Vulnerable young people, anxious to build their social connections, may be too generous in sharing private, personal information over the Internet.
Problems in computer use stem from unlimited time and unlimited access. Parents or supervising adults should set limits on the available computer use. Placing the computer in a “public” setting can reduce the feeling of anonymity or privacy.
Precautions in the use of computers included:
• Use of nickname – do not use proper first and last names in user-IDs.
• Change your actual ZIP code. This is not sensitive information and can prevent someone from using it to locate the true location of one’s residence.
• Use of cartoons or drawings instead of personal pictures.
• Don’t post images that identify your school or hometown.
• Make your profile private and limit access to it.
• Ask permission of a responsible adult before adding any friends to your network.
• Let someone proofread your communication. We all have difficulty finding our own mistakes. This provides a second look at the topic being discussed and the manner of the discussion.
“Sending information over the Internet is likened to throwing a handful of feathers into the air,” said Migas. “There is no opportunity to retrieve the information after it has been made public information.” Further, downloading information from the Internet can expose one’s computer to any number of viruses.
The Internet is not safe expression – whatever is posted is then public information and can be used as evidence. Colleges and employers are online and everyone should be sensitive to the public and permanent nature of postings online. Much risk comes from the fact that communication via computer is mechanical and there is no human interaction or ability to view face-to-face responses or actions.
The presentation was followed by questions from the audience, after which local author, Anne Matalonis, described her book, “The Fox behind the Chatterbox,” and offered signed copies for purchase to anyone interested.
Matalonis’ book tells a story about Internet safety and predators. The book is geared toward third- through fifth-grade readers. It is intended to provide information that will foster dialogue between the child and an adult about care and use of the computer technology in a safe and responsible manner. The story is a family-friendly allegory told through barnyard animals, explaining the danger to kids without scaring them, talking down to them or using a lot of statistics too difficult for them to understand.
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