Welcome everyone! My name is Cheryl Fujii and I’m eBay’s Community Outreach Program Manager. Part of my responsibilities here at eBay includes Community outreach and education. As a former elementary school teacher, I am passionate about the safety and education of children in our communities. With the Internet prevalent in many households, families may need to focus more on their children’s activities on the Internet and the environment of the family computer. In today’s workshop we will be discussing ways to ensure a safer Internet experience for children. Our hope is that you’ll walk away with a better understanding of Internet safety for children and can apply your new knowledge in your household or classroom. Resources for further review and reference will be provided toward the end of the workshop.

It is my pleasure to be co-presenting today with Amber Lindsey from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s NetSmartz program. Amber has a wealth of knowledge on cyber safety and is a wonderful resource for parents and educators.

Please note we will be discussing topics that may be difficult for some individuals. Our intent today is to provide information on safe Internet practices for children. The information provided in this workshop is meant to provide possible examples and scenarios of behaviors, and not absolutes. Please keep this in mind while reading and/or participating in this workshop.

Thanks,
Cheryl

Clicky, Nettie, and Webster, the NetSmartz animated characters, teach children about the dangers on the Internet in a way that is entertaining and fun. Through the latest technology and 3-D animation, children learn about potential dangers on the Internet, how to avoid them, and how to practice good “netiquette.”

NetSmartz uses real-life stories to empower teens by teaching the possible consequences of their online choices. Cyberbullying pieces address peer-to-peer harassment to reinforce the notion that once something is shared on the Internet, you can never take it back.

NetSmartz provides parents, guardians, caregivers, educators, government officials, law enforcement, and youth organizations relevant and current information about Internet safety issues that affect children. Information includes online rules for safety, definitions of commonly used Internet terms, current news, and ideas for discussing Internet safety with children. The on- and offline activities provide activity ideas, coloring pages, and much more. Activity cards are designed to provide ideas for implementing the
NetSmartz online activities while teaching to groups of children of all ages.

Some specific risks facing children on the Internet could be:

• Exposure to inappropriate material. Your child may be exposed to inappropriate material graphic or violent in nature or material encouraging dangerous or illegal activities.

• Your child may inadvertently provide financial or contact information to someone that may lead to compromising the safety of them self or family members.

• Harassment and bullying. Your child might encounter messages via chat, E-mail, or their cellular telephones that are harrassing.

• Viruses and hackers. Your child could download a file containing a virus that could damage the computer or increase the risk of a “hacker” gaining remote access to the computer. This could jeopardize your family’s privacy and safety.

Cheryl

We thought this would be a good time to share some common questions and answers parents and educators may have regarding children and their safety on the Internet.

How effective is filtering or monitoring software at preventing children from seeing offensive material on the Internet?
No filtering software is going to be completely reliable, but it has become quite sophisticated and most of the programs have many options so that parents can adjust the filtering to meet their own personal standards or adjust options for children at different ages. There are many different types of filtering software. They each work slightly different. Some software may be better for younger children and some software may be easier for people without much computer knowledge. Parents should review available software and decide what best fits their needs for their family's situation.

Here are three common filtering programs:
Norton Internet Security: Link
Cyberpatrol: Link
Net Nanny: Link

Cheryl

Hello Melynda,

Thank you for joining us today and for your dedication to helping to keep kids and teens safer online. Hopefully you will learn some beneficial information today that can assist you with your mission. I am excited to visit your group listing.

Amber

Should I discipline my child if he or she finds inappropriate or harmful material on the Internet?

In general, it may not help to take away computer privileges if it is something they came across accidentally. It may only encourage them to not tell you if another incident occurs. And children can gain access to the Internet in other places, like friend’s homes. It would be more effective to talk with your child about how the material was accessed, whether inadvertently or not and how this exposure affected them.

Amber

Where can I report problems with inappropriate content or unwanted contacts on the Internet?

First, any incident of solicitation or harassment on the Internet should be taken seriously and reported. The email message and any other information should be reported to initially to law enforcement and CyberTipline. You can also make a report to your Internet Service Provider. This is not a matter that should be taken lightly.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children also encourages families who find someone sending them or their children messages or images that are indecent with the intent to harass, abuse, annoy, or threaten, or if they become aware of the transmission, use, or viewing of inappropriate images of children while online, to immediately report this to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline at 1-800-843-5678 or Link.

Here is a list of places to contact regarding many different types of criminal activity on the Internet: Link.

You can also submit a report online through the CyberTipline at: Link.