Kid Safe » Internet Safety

It’s a small world after all| Cyber Bully’s not just in AmericaKymberley Page

Kymberley Page — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 02:16:50 +0000

Cyberbullying is a global problem

NEW YORK — More than 10 percent of parents around the world say their child has been cyberbullied and nearly one-fourth know a youngster who has been a victim, according to a new Ipsos/Reuters poll.

And more than three-quarters of people questioned in the global survey thought cyberbullying differed from other types of harassment and warranted special attention and efforts from parents and schools."

The data clearly shows an appetite among global citizens for a targeted response to cyberbullying," said Keren Gottfried, of the global research firm Ipsos, which conducted the poll.

But, she added, whether or not schools live up to this mandate is in the hands of educators.

The online poll of more than 18,000 adults in 24 countries, 6,500 of whom were parents, showed the most widely reported vehicle for cyberbullying was social networking sites likes Facebook, which were cited by 60 percent.

Mobile devices and online chat rooms were a distant second and third, each around 40 percent.

While the report showed that awareness of cyberbullying was relatively high, with two-thirds saying they heard, read or had seen information on the phenomenon, cultural and geographic differences abounded.

In Indonesia, 91 percent said they knew about cyberbullying, in which a child, group of children or younger teen intentionally intimidates, threatens or embarrasses another child or group through the use of information technology such as social media or mobile devices.

Australia followed at 87 percent, while Poland and Sweden trailed slightly behind. But only 29 percent in Saudi Arabia, and 35 percent in Russia, had heard of cyberbullying.

In the United States, where cases of cyberbullying have been widely reported to have been linked to teen-age suicides, the figure was 82 percent.

Gottfried described the survey as the first global study of its kind and a benchmark to where assessments of cyberbullying vary.

"The key to this study is that it measures parental awareness of cyberbullying, not actual rates of the behavior," she said. "While we can't speculate on what actually happens, it is quite possible that the proportion of children actually being cyberbullied is in fact understated, since we are speaking with the parents, not the kids."

In India 32 percent of parents said their child had experienced cyberbullying, followed by 20 percent in Brazil and 18 percent in Canada and Saudi Arabia and 15 percent in the United States.

The highest incidence of people knowing of a child in the community being targeted was in Indonesia, with 53 percent. But only 14 percent there said their child had been cyberbullied — less than in Canada, Brazil, Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Overall, parents in France and Spain reported some of the lowest incidence of cyberbullying either of their own child or one in their community.

Gottfried said that future studies could show whether there was a trend toward greater awareness of cyberbullying, and shed some light on what affects parental awareness.

The complete list of results and countries can be found athttp://www.ipsosglobaladvisor.com/

Parents are #1 Tool in Combating Cyber BullyingKymberley Page

Kymberley Page — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:10:15 +0000

Re-post as Kids return to school after Christmas break!

Parents must be involved

Aug. 24, 2011, 6:34 a.m. EDT

The Reporter

CERTAINLY the topic of children bullying one another is not new; it is perhaps as old as childhood itself.

What is new, and confounding, is the utilization of various electronic communication programs by children. The programs present new challenges to adults, especially parents, to control behavior by children.

While bullying has always been a problem, it is clear that cyberbullying has raised the activity to a new level. When children and teens engage in bullying by computer, they are no longer face to face with their victim. Spiteful behavior is easier without human interaction.

This, of course, is not unknown to adults. From the time the first computer bulletin boards started turning up with computer geeks in the 1970s and 1980s, members were well-known for "flaming" each other with outrageous statements. Things haven't changed all that much in the passing decades.

The technology for communication by the Internet has become far more familiar and easier to use for the general public. Today's youth take to it as second nature.

THESE NEW technologies — text messaging, Facebook, and the like — are enormously popular. But like anything else, there is a downside. Rumors that were once transmitted by word of mouth can now appear instantly within a peer group, a school, a whole community and beyond.

The charges can be embarrassing, hurtful, depressing and even deadly to the individual or individuals involved. In many ways, it is the same old story with bullying, only more so.

School districts are struggling to come up with policies to curb this activity. Schools are experimenting with a variety of policies. There is no standard. People are still feeling their way.

The activity is relatively new. It changes and seems to get worse with each introduction of a new technology. And with all things teenager, what is current today is hopelessly last year tomorrow. Seen a Sony Walkman lately?

ONE VERY old-fashioned tactic presents itself throughout: the role of parents.

Kathleen Conn, a professor who has studied cyberbullying, stated at a recent conference that "Today parents want to be their children's friend. We have to tell parents that you are the adult and children may get mad, but it may save their lives later."

It seems clear, as well as common sense, that parents need to monitor the computer activities of their children for their own safety and public good.

— Journal Register News Service, West Chester Daily Local News

Online Privacy Primer (Slide Show)Larry MagidKymberley Page

Kymberley Page — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:54:40 +0000

Watch what you post

There is a lot of talk about how social networks, search engines and even seemingly innocuous websites can invade our privacy, but the biggest risk to our privacy is what we post ourselves. Sure, you should get to know the privacy settings of the services you use, but you should also be aware that anything you post online can be copied and pasted so, if it’s really really embarrassing or really a secret, don’t post it online, even if you have the tightest possible privacy settings.

Keep hackers at bay

There is also the possibility of unauthorized access. If hackers get their hands on your usernames and passwords or figure out how to break into one of your accounts, then all privacy bets are off. And even if you practice great security, there is always a chance of a data breach at some company or agency with access to your data. It’s happened to millions after intrusions into company, government and university sites. For example, in April, 2011 Sony’s servers suffered a major data breach that jepordized personal information from 77 million customers.

Protect yourself

Still, there are things you can do to protect yourself:

Use strong passwords, change them periodically and don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. Here is are some helpful password tips from ConnectSafely.
Check your online credit and bank accounts frequently to look for fraudulent activity and report it immediately. In most cases you’re not liable. Check all three of your credit reports (for free) at least once a year.
Use security software and keep it and your operating system and applications up-to-date.
Use the privacy tools associated with your social networks but be aware that anything can be copied and forwarded. Here are links to privacy settings on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter*
Use encryption setting with your WiFi wireless networks. Don’t enter highly confidential information when connected to a public network.
Only provide personal or financial information to websites you know and trust. Never enter passwords on sites you’re not sure about, especially if you get an email asking you to do so.
Be aware of the privacy policies of any sites or companies you deal with. The privacy policy is where companies will disclose if they sell or rent your name to others or how they may use your personal information.
Be aware of the mobile and social networking apps you’re using. Check their privacy policy and make sure you only use apps from reputable sources.
Know how to use your browser’s private or “ingonito” mode and how to erase the history from your browser.

Tracking cookies
And there is the issue of being followed around the web. Many websites, including ones operated by very well known companies, put little files, called cookies, on your machine for a couple of reasons. One beneficial reason is to store information such as your username and password so you don’t have to enter it the next time you visit, but they also use cookies — called tracking cookies — so that they can target ads that they think you’re likely to respond to.

How Tracking cookies often work:

You visit a website that has an ad on it that’s placed by one of the advertising networks. The ad may appear on the site you’re visiting, but it’s actually being delivered from a server owned by the advertising network.
The network then puts a cookie on your machine that records the ad that was shown and the site you visited.
Then you visit another site that displays another ad from the same ad network and the cookie is updated with information about the current and current site.
Over a period of time the network can get a pretty good idea of sites in its network that you’ve visited.

The good thing about tracking cookies is that they help give you ads you’re more likely to be interested in. If you’ve been shopping for, let’s say, sporting equipment, you’ll see a lot more sporting equipment ads which might be a good thing if you’re always on the prowl for new equipment. Also, you’re less likely to see ads for products or services that don’t interest you.

Still, it can be creepy to be followed around and, even though the major advertising networks claim they don’t use this information to personally identify you, the fact is that the data is being stored and could, at least in theory, be used to identify you.

Removing or opting out of tracking cookies

Many security products can be used to remove tracking cookies and the major browsers also have tools to remove them.

DoubleClick, which is owned by Google, offers instructions on how to opt out of cookies. Here are instructions for deleting stored cookies in Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome.

All the browser companies have agreed to include a “do not track” feature in future browsers, but tracking will be the default setting unless you change it. Mozilla Firefox, the first to implement this feature, has posted instructions on how to use it.

Location sharing

Your cell phone knows almost exactly where you are via its GPS antenna and its ability to recognize nearby WiFi hotspots. And, an increasing number of mobile phone apps are “location-aware,” which means that they are capable of tracking your location. Be sure to only use location-aware apps that you trust and be very careful how you configure them. Some apps are designed to share you location with friends or via social networks or Twitter. Use them carefully and only share your location with people you trust. Review your settings occasionally to make sure you’re still comfortable with the people you’re sharing your location with and be careful before you use your phone to “check-in” to a location.

Don’t overlook the “obvious”

There are certain privacy traps that are so low-tech that we’re likely to forget about them. These include:

Watch what you say on your phone while you’re in public — people around you might be listening
Be aware of others viewing your screen. It doesn’t take a hack to know what you’re typing or reading if someone is behind you or near you. If you do look at your create confidential documents, consider getting a privacy screen for your laptop.
And, for the ultimate in low-tech privacy protection, shred your old financial records and other confidential documents before throwing them in the trash or recycling bin.

*Note about Twitter “privacy“: Although it’s possible to configure your Twitter account so that you have to approve anyone who follows you, that’s not how the service usually works. Think of Twitter as a public forum where everything you post can be seen by anyone.

Larry Magid blogs at SafeKids.com and LarrysWorld.com

Article source: http://kidsafe.com/2931/online-privacy-primer-slide-show/

[Surfnetkids: 30 Nov 2011] Who Discovered the South Pole?surfnetkidsKymberley Page

Kymberley Page — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:54:37 +0000

Surfnetkids.com

Surfing the Net with Kids FREE Newsletter

#1. November 30, 2011

Dear Reader,

Although it sometimes feels like December is all about Christmas and Hanukkah, there are some other worthy events on the calendar this month. Here are a few, along with links to my website recommendations.

Japan Attacks Pearl Harbor, Dec 7, 1941
Bill of Rights Day, Dec 15, 1791
Boston Tea Party, Dec 16, 1773

See ya on the Net,
Barbara J. Feldman
“Surfing the Net with Kids”

http://www.surfnetkids.com

#2. Who Discovered the South Pole?

by Barbara J. Feldman

http://www.surfnetkids.com/who_discovered_the_south_pole.htm

Who Discovered the South Pole? Printable (** for premium members only)

http://www.surfnetkids.com/printables/who_discovered_the_south_pole.pdf

The South Pole is the southernmost point of the Earth’s surface. It is in Antarctica, at an elevation of 9300 feet, surrounded by miles and miles of icy terrain. It was discovered on December 14, 1911 by Roald Amundsen (1872-1928), who led an expedition of four men, four sleds and fifty-two sled dogs, who all returned safely from their explorations. The second expedition, led by Captain Robert F. Scott (1868-1912) was not as fortunate. After successfully reaching the South Pole, all five men died trying to return to base camp.

American Museum of Natural History: Antarctica

Although this AMNH site is written for teachers, students will find much here to help with homework and research reports. The bulk of the educational content is contained in PDFs that open in small (annoying) pop-up windows, but can be easily printed. In addition to this page about the exploration of Antarctica, there are also sections on Extreme Temperatures, Hazards to Humans and Organisms of Antarctica. “The first man to reach the South Pole, Norwegian Roald Amundsen , explored both the Arctic and the Antarctic.”

Cool Antarctica: Roald Amundsen

“Before the [Roald Amundsen] expedition set off to drift over the North Pole, news reached Amundsen of Peary’s attainment of the their goal. Plans were hastily changed and Amundsen set out to lead the party that would the first to reach the South Pole instead.” Paul Ward, a British teacher, worked for two years as a zoologist in Antarctica, fulfilling a dream that started when he was a teenager. Other valuable clicks include a photo gallery, and an Antarctica fact file.

PBS: Alone on the Ice: Roald Amundsen

“A powerfully built man of over six feet in height, Amundsen was born into a family of merchant sea captains and prosperous ship owners in 1872.” This PBS bio of Roald Amundsen is part of their Alone on the Ice website. Alone on the Ice is a television movie about Commander Richard E. Byrd’s exploration of the Antarctica, but also includes coverage of other famous Arctic and Antarctic explorers, such as Amundsen, Bernt Balchen and Floyd Bennett.

… Click to continue Who Discovered the South Pole? .

#3. Printables Club Members Also Get …

Surfnetkids Printables Club Members also get the following printables to use in the classroom, the computer lab, the school library, or to send home with students:

Who Discovered the South Pole? Printable

Who Discovered the South Pole? Wikipedia Printable
Antarctica Printable

*** Are you curious? Get your own ten-day trial membership:

http://www.surfnetkids.com/printables-club.htm

#4. Related Games

Antarctica Animals Word Search

http://www.surfnetkids.com/games/antarctica_animals-ws.htm

Critter Cubes

http://www.surfnetkids.com/games/critter_cubes.htm

Winter Coloring Pages

http://www.freekidscoloring.com/four_seasons/winter/

Penguin Coloring Pages

http://www.freekidscoloring.com/animals/penguin/

#5. Surfing the Calendar

Mark Twain’s Birthday
Nov 30, 1835

International Calendar Awareness Month
December

Universal Human Rights Month
December

Game of Bingo Created by Edwin S. Lowe
Dec, 1929

Antarctica Made a Scientific Preserve
Dec 1, 1959

Rosa Parks Refused to Give Up her Bus Seat
(celebrated as Rosa Parks Day)
Dec 1, 1955

Hanukkah
Dec 1-9, 2010

Eight National Parks Established in Alaska
Dec 2, 1980

Malta Summit
Dec 2, 1989

Anniversary of Artificial Heart Transplant
Dec 2, 1982

Nobel Week
Dec 5, 2010

Parthenon Day
Dec 5, 1997

Montgomery Bus Boycott
Dec 5, 1955

Walt Disney’s Birthday
Dec 5, 1901

Ira Gershwin’s Birthday
Dec 6, 1896

Thirteenth Amendment to US Constitution Ratified
Dec 6, 1865

Pearl Harbor Attacked by Japan
Dec 7, 1941

#6. Quote of the Week

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” ~~ Martin Luther King, Jr. ~~ (January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) African-American civil rights leader. Click here for more determination quotes.

#7. Subscription Management

To get your own free weekly subscription:

http://www.surfnetkids.com/newsletter/

Need help? Get support at:
ReplyToBarbara.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Copyright

Article source: http://kidsafe.com/2933/surfnetkids-30-nov-2011-who-discovered-the-south-pole/

Club TUKI Spokesperson Cymphonique On Access Hollywood!team tukiKymberley Page

Kymberley Page — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:54:32 +0000

Cymphonique and her legendary father, Master P (Percy Miller) sat down with

Article source: http://kidsafe.com/2936/club-tuki-spokesperson-cymphonique-on-access-hollywood/

How to Say Merry Christmas in 30 Different Languages!Kymberley Page

Kymberley Page — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 23:16:36 +0000

How do you say Merry Christmas?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Online SafetyLarry Magid

Larry Magid — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 21:35:32 +0000

SafeKids.com answers questions about Internet safety

I've been working in the online safety field since 1993 when I wrote Child Safety on the Information Highway for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. That document was based on what we thought we knew at the time -- before there was any research about the way kids and teens actually use the Internet. It's still reasonably good advice for young kids, but it's no longer what I'm telling people about pre-teens and teens. Unfortunately, some people are still using that advice from 1993 to apply to all kids.

Since then we have learned a great deal about online safety, including the fact that most kids are doing pretty well. Although there are risks, many of the things that adults worry about are far less likely than some imagine.

So, to update people, I've created a new document at SafeKids.com called Online Safety FAQ which answers a lot of the most commonly asked questions such as:

Is my child at risk from online predators?
How common and dangerous is cyberbullying?
How common is sexting and what are the dangers?
Can social networks harm a person's reputation?
How much is "too much" time online?
What is the impact of pornography on kids?
What special risks are associated with Facebook, Google + and other social networks?
Is there a danger with online games?
What are the dangers associated with mobile phones?
How can my kids and I protect our security
Should I install Internet filtering or monitoring software?

Click here to see the answers to those frequently asked questions.

OnLive Launches Console-like Cloud Gaming on iPhone, iPad and AndroidLarry Magid

Larry Magid — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:11:39 +0000

I'm not a gamer but I was impressed when OnLive CEO Steve Perlman showed me L.A. Noire and several other games running on an Android tablet over the Verizon 4G network. I also saw them running on an iPhone, iPad and other Android devices connected via 4G, Wi-Fi and -- in some cases -- even a slower 3G cellular network.

While I don't know much about gaming, I do know something about cloud technology and I'm quite impressed at how OnLive has been able to stream games even better than Netflix streams movies. To date, the experience has mostly been through PCs and Macs or TVs via a $99 TV adapter, but by opening up to phones and tablets, they are expanding not just the market but the venues where people can play. Through mobile devices, people can play wherever they are and whenever they have a few minutes to spare.

Wireless controller connects to mobile device via Bluetooth

What all Android and iOS devices have in common is a touch screen interface that works well for some games but not others. To that end, OnLive is offering an optional ($49.99) Bluetooth controller similar to the ones used on dedicated game consoles.

For optimal performance, the devices should be used via Wi-Fi but they can be used on 4G networks or -- with some games -- somewhat slower 3G networks. iPhones and iPads only work on 3G unless you have an optional external 4G adapter such as the MiFi unit that uses a 4G network to create a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The power is on the network, not the device

There is nothing new about playing games on mobile devices. There are thousands of games for the iPhone and Android, but most are fairly simple from a processing standpoint. For graphic or processor intense games you typically need a dedicated console like the XBox, Wii or PlayStation or a pretty powerful PC. But OnLive gets around that by running the game on its servers so that the device -- be it a PC, tablet or phone -- is simply the terminal or "thin client" that provides the user interface. The processing power of the device matters to a small extent (an iPad 2 will deliver somewhat better performance than a slightly slower first generation iPad) but the most important factor is the speed of the network which is why the company recommends Wi-Fi or a 4G mobile connection.

Other OnLive games that will run on the mobile devices include Batman Arkham City, Saints Row and Dirt 3. The service offers a variety of pricing plans including an "all you can play" option and the ability to purchase specific games.

LA Noire is one of several console/PC games you can now play on mobile devices

This post first appeared on Forbes and LarrysWorld.

XXX Domains Help Users Find Porn, But Can They Also Help Block Porn?Larry Magid

Larry Magid — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:35:05 +0000

In an audio podcast interview for CBS News and CNET, ICM Registry CEO Stuart Lawley, the main behind the XXX domains, acknowledged that XXX domains, along with creative searching, will help seekers of adult content find what they're looking for. And to his company's credit, he said that "for people wanting to look for adult content, they can go to XXX sites with a little bit more confidence that these sites are operating to standards and are being scanned by McAfee on a daily basis for malware."

Lawley told me that all XXX must be free of illegal content, including child pornography, and he said that "there is a restriction particularly in the registration of the domain name itself to keep away from anything that even suggests underage activity." Depictions of sexual activity involving minors is illegal in the United States and most other countries but it is generally not against the law in the U.S. to use so-called "barely legal" adult models who appear to be under 18.

Lawley was quick to point out that the XXX domains can also prevent kids and adults from accidentally landing on porn sites. For one thing, said Lawley, "Every single XXX site has the clear visual identifier of XXX so nobody's going to type in that name by mistake ... the adult nature of it is clearly signposted."

It's important for parents to know, however, that XXX is not mandatory. There is nothing to stop companies from continuing to use .com for adult sites and, indeed, it is likely that there will continue to be millions of pages of adult material that is not labeled XXX.

Labeling sites

In addition to the new TLD, ICM is working with MetaCert to label all XXX sites to make it easier for browsers and plug-ins to block them. Along with its XXX labels, MetaCert has cataloged and labeled more than 250 million sexually explicit web pages across all TLDs, including those ending in .com, according to Lawley. Unlike most web filtering products, MetaCert labels pages via an open standard that can be supported by browsers and plug-ins. In a press release, MetaCert claims that its technology "is able to distinguish between a webpage containing sexually explicit adult content and a URL hosting important information about breast cancer, for example." The company also said that the technology "works not only for sites listed in search results but also for those 'linked to' within websites -- including from within social networking sites." Via email, MetaCert CEO Paul Walsh said that ".XXX pages currently makes up for .3% of our entire data set."

MetaCert uses a crawling system to automatically label URLS with adult content. Unlike some filtering systems, it works on a page by page basis rather than an entire domain.

MetaCert offers a free plug-in for Firefox that parents can install to block kids from accessing adult content or companies can use to "know if a link is safe to open at work." Lawley said that technology to block XXX domains as well as sites labeled by MetaCert will be built into future versions of the major browsers.

It will be interesting to see if MetaCert succeeds is keeping kids away from porn but -- after watching scores of companies and non-profits tackle this issue for the past 20 years, I'm a bit skeptical. But even if the technology were 100% perfect, it would still not be a replacement for parental involvement. Besides, a filtering system is a temporary solution and is not appropriate for all kids. At the end of the day, the best filter is the one that runs between the child's ears. Not only will it protect them from inappropriate sites, it will protect them from exercising bad judgment thought their life, including in such areas a dangerous driving or unsafe sex where the stakes can be a lot higher.

You can get lots of information on keeping kids safe, secure and productive online from my site SafeKids.com and at ConnectSafely.org, a non-profit Internet safety organization where I serve as co-director.

This post also appears on Forbes.com and SafeKids.com.

What the Facebook/FTC Settlement Means for UsersLarry Magid

Larry Magid — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:46:00 +0000

The Federal Trade Commission and Facebook have reached a settlement on charges that Facebook deceived consumers "by telling them they could keep their information on Facebook private, and then repeatedly allowing it to be shared and made public."

The settlement will require that Facebook must:

Not make misrepresentations about the privacy or security of consumers' personal information.

Obtain consumers' affirmative express consent before enacting changes that override their privacy preferences.

Prevent anyone from accessing a user's material no more than 30 days after the user has deleted his or her account.

Establish and maintain a comprehensive privacy program designed to address privacy risks associated with the development and management of new and existing products and services, and to protect the privacy and confidentiality of consumers' information.

Every two years after that for the next 20 years, obtain independent, third-party audits certifying that it has a privacy program in place that meets or exceeds the requirements of the FTC order.

The FTC alleged that Facebook:

Changed its website so certain information that users may have designated as private -- such as their Friends List -- was made public. They didn't warn users that this change was coming, or get their approval in advance.

Represented that third-party apps that users' installed would have access only to user information that they needed to operate. In fact, the apps could access nearly all of users' personal data -- data the apps didn't need.

Told users they could restrict sharing of data to limited audiences -- for example with "Friends Only." In fact, selecting "Friends Only" did not prevent their information from being shared with third-party applications their friends used.

Promised users that it would not share their personal information with advertisers. It did.

Claimed that when users deactivated or deleted their accounts, their photos and videos would be inaccessible. But Facebook allowed access to the content, even after users had deactivated or deleted their accounts.

In its 19-page complaint, the FTC pointed to numerous examples of Facebook's claims that it never shares user data with advertisers. Yet, according to the federal agency, "Facebook has shared information about users with Platform Advertisers by identifying to them the users who clicked on their ads and to whom those ads were targeted."

In its press release about the settlement, the FTC noted "The complaint is not a finding or ruling that the respondent has actually violated the law. A consent agreement is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the respondent that the law has been violated."

Facebook's response

In a blog post, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg didn't respond directly to the FTC's allegations, but admitted that "we've made a bunch of mistakes," and said that he has appointed two privacy officers to "further strengthen the processes that ensure that privacy control is built into our products and policies." Zuckerberg also pointed out that the settlement with the FTC has conditions that similar to those established between the FTC and both Google and Twitter.

In an interview, Facebook's spokesperson Barry Schnitt pointed out that some of the charges leveled by the FTC were incidents that were rare and inconsequential. "It is our policy and our intent not to share personal information with advertisers," he said. When it happened it was a result of what's called a 'referer,' that passes on the URL of the the page a user is on when they click on a link. That passes on a user ID which, in theory, could be used by an advertiser to look up the name of the person. But, said Schnitt, "They would have to go to the Web log and figure it out and then they would see public info from the user. And we fixed it a year and a half ago on our own." He said there is no evidence that any advertisers actually went and did this."

What this should mean to consumers:

In theory, what this should mean to consumers is that they can rely on information about privacy from Facebook as being accurate and complete. It should also mean that the information will be presented clearly and in language that the average person can easily understand.

Facebook must also be very clear about information shared with third parties, including app developers and advertisers.

It further means that whatever privacy protections are in place when you sign up for Facebook will remain in place unless you specifically agree to accept the changes.

What I'm hoping this means is that Facebook can do this without further complicating its privacy policies or settings.

Users still have to be vigilant

Even assuming Facebook keeps its promises to the FTC, users will still have to be vigilant about what they post on Facebook and what they agree to share with other users and third parties, including advertisers and the thousands of Facebook app developers. This includes learning about Facebook's default privacy settings, knowing how to change those settings if necessary and understanding it new simplified "inline privacy" tool that allows users to select the audience each time they post content. It also requires that users understand how third party apps work and what information Facebook passes on to those app developers.

Hopefully, Facebook will clarify its privacy policies and settings and better enforce them with third parties, but even if it does, there remains a strong possibility that information you share with third parties could be used to deliver targeted ads or be shared with others or that some of Facebook's developers or partners could misuse your information.

And, as with any digital information, what's posted online can always be copied and pasted so, regardless of what privacy settings are in place, never post anything that could get you into trouble or embarrass you now or in the future.

You can find general privacy advice in my Online Privacy Primer on SafeKids.com and in the Safety Tips and Advice section of ConnectSafely.org.

Related links:

Anne Collier's NetFamilyNews post, Facebook's agreement with the FTC: What it means for users.

CNET News: Facebook privacy practices get FTC Shakeup.

Disclosure: Larry Magid is co-director of ConnectSafely.org which receives financial support from Facebook.

Kids Live Safe: New Program for checking out Sexual PredatorsKymberley Page

Kymberley Page — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:34:28 +0000

There are 728,435 RegisteredSex Offenders in the U.S.

Search, Map and View Sex Offender Profiles
Receive Alerts of New Sex Offenders in Your Area
Monitor Your home and 3 other locations
Protect Your Children with NetNanny Internet Filter
Recover Your Child with Emergency Response Profiles
Know your City’s True Crime Rate

Does a Sexual Predator live near you?

check out this new website! http://kidslivesafe.com/

About Kids Live SafeKids Live Safe is an innovative organization focused on protecting kids from Sexual Predators. Since 2009, we have provided top-rated, web-based child protection tools to safeguard our most vulnerable citizens – our children. Kids Live Safe empowers parents by taking control of the safety of their children.

What does Kids Live Safe Offer?Kids Live Safe provides access to detailed profiles of registered Sex Offenders and Sexual Predators and provides technology based services to keep your children and loved ones safe from harm. Knowing who these sexual predators are, where they live, and what offenses they have committed provides you with the necessary awareness to protect your family. However, Kids Live Safe does not stop there. There are tens of thousands of Sexual Predators that have not yet been caught and, therefore, are not incarcerated or registered as Sex Offenders. Kids Live Safe provides parents and guardians with proactive tools and resources to keep kids safe from Sexual Predators – whether they are online or in your community.

With your Kids Live Safe membership you will receive:

Unlimited Sex Offender Search of Any U.S. Location.
Complete Offender Profile including pictures, full name, physical description, detail on offenses, home address and more.
Instant Email Alerts when a Registered Sex Offender moves into your neighborhood or designated monitoring area. Monitor up to four locations simultaneously.
Emergency Response Profiles to recover your children in case they are lost or abducted.
Online Protection to protect your children while surfing the web or chatting with friends.
Real-Time AMBER Alerts when a child is missing in your community.
FBI Crime Data so you know your community’s true crime rate. Review seven different categories of crime and compare your community to other cities across the U.S.
Learning Center with vital content to keep your kids and loved ones safe from harm.
World Class Member Support by parents who care about your children’s well being.

Why Kids Live Safe?Because our children are our most precious and vulnerable citizens, and it is our duty as parents and guardians to do everything we can to keep them safe. There simply is no greater duty than to ensure the safety of our children.

Our Mission Our mission at Kids Live Safe is simple – To do everything we can to keep our children and loved ones safe from sex offenders and sexual predators.

Social Media: Networking and Internet Safety Trends for KidsKymberley Page

Kymberley Page — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:28:53 +0000

What is the connection between the trend and practices of children using social networking media and internet safety for kids? It is closer than you think. Let’s take a look.

Firstly, social networking websites and online chat rooms are frequented not only by kids and teens but also by online and sexual predators too, for the obvious reason that maximum children are there too, lurking around to attack at the slightest chance. They can lurk around so easily because of the fact that internet makes it so easy for anyone to take on assumed identity. They obviously are hiding behind some identity which they created for the very purpose.

Learn all about social networking safety tips for children, click here.

There is no telling who your kids are chatting with on the other side. Their ‘good’ online friend might well be a man or woman forty years of age. But rest assured that their projected online persona will be of someone attractive and friendly in order to lure children. Many a times they do succeed in striking friendships with kids and many a times there are always kids who are fooled by them into revealing their personal information online, sadly.

Cyberbullying is one example where the cyber bully carry on their activities over the social networks using false identity. And in the case of cyberbullying, a bully can later become a victim and then back again. Cyberbullying is known to go to extreme levels with devastating consequences.

The focus of concern surrounding internet safety for kids here is that any child can be vulnerable to attacks if care and caution is not exercised. This includes the former cyber bully who can land up to become a victim too. It almost always starts with some interactions online on the online social networking platform.

All these while like many parents you might have been thinking what harm can possibly arise from a media which is purely online. Sad but true, many kids are wounded and scarred for life, some has ended their lives. You will be surprised to know the many areas, the trend in the online practice and the social networking activities of children where children are vunerable to getting hurt.

Click here for detailed study on all the areas of safety concern for children.

Like most children, if your kids loves spending hours in front of the computer there’s a high chance they are spending most of the time online at internet chat rooms or online message boards. For instance, MySpace is one of the most frequented sites frequented by junior high school and high school students to stay in touch with friends, make new online friends and be in the social circle. There is nothing to be alarmed with this as such, the only cause for concern is that in order to look cool among their peer groups kids simply must have a cool profile online for which they might end up revealing personal information on their profile, not only that kids frequently uploads photos and videos online too which might contain private content which might be spread around.

These insights are just a few of the many areas. The reality is, it is not practically possible to keep a track of your child’s activities over the vast landscape of the internet all by yourself. You simply have to make use of the tools and services available, like those here on KidSafe.

New E-Book for Parents: Cyber Safety in the 21st CenturyKymberley Page

Kymberley Page — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 19:02:14 +0000

We have uploaded a new ebook for you to read, share, and use in discussing internet safety, cyber security, protection from predators and cyber bullies.

Here is an excerpt

INTRODUCTION

The Internet is no longer a novelty. It is an established presence in many, many people’s lives. Having grown from a computer-based ‘fad’ to an integral part of mobile phone technology, the Internet has become a must-have item for not only business people and students, but just plain folks.

Unfortunately, the Internet, available to virtually anyone, is also home to a whole new type of predator. No one is exempt from problems that

could arise from this type of predator. Identity theft, cyberstalking, cyberbullying, all terms relatively new to users of the World Wide Web, have

become items of global concern. Because of these concerns, yet another term has been coined, cyber security. People need to learn how to keep

themselves and their children safe online.

Mom to Mom on talking to Your Kids about Internet SafetyKymberley Page

Kymberley Page — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:39:32 +0000

Internet Safety

The Internet can be a wonderful tool for both family education and entertainment. Unfortunately, it has also become a playground for predators and bullies. 20% of children online have been approached by adults looking for sex, according to Love Our Children USA. The increased ability kids have to meet strangers in chat rooms and on social networking websites has resulted in abductions and murder.

Top 5 Tips for Talking to Your Kids about Internet Safety

Talk to your child about which sites are appropriate and which aren't. (Her friends' parents may be more lax about Internet safety; your child should know she is expected to follow your rules no matter which computer she's using.)

Talk to your child honestly about strangers online; make sure she understands the dangers.

Make sure your child knows she must never give out her real name, address, or other personal information.

Know all of your child's usernames and passwords — not to spy, but in case of an emergency.

Have your child read and sign a child/parent Internet-safety agreement (you sign it, too). There's a good one on the Love Our Children USA website.

Keep your computer in a central location and monitor how much time your child spends on it, suggests Ross Ellis, founder and CEO of Love Our Children USA. Moms can also invest in an Internet-monitoring software program.

We have them available by the Case, Box and Individually – Please check out our page on the Award winning parental control software based off DreamWorks animation and Shrek as your child's friend!

What Moms Can Do about Internet Safety

Once children are old enough to IM or become interested in chat rooms and social networking websites, it's important to warn them about meeting strangers online. Psychologist Dr. Lisa Boesky, author of When to Worry: How to Tell If Your Teen Needs Help — and What to Do About It, shares these tips.

Don't tell her not to meet strangers — she'll only tune you out. "Telling your teen to avoid strangers on the Internet doesn't work," Dr. Boesky says. "The Internet creates a false sense of intimacy. If your daughter has been talking to someone online, she probably feels like she knows him. He's not going to be one of those people who would hurt her. No way. The only problem is that sometimes, many times, she's wrong."

Instead, talk to her about how fake the Internet can be. "You need to talk to your teen about the false sense of intimacy that develops online and how fake it can be, as well as the dangers that can happen," Dr. Boesky advises. This is a good time to talk to her about these sex traffickers who prey upon young girls on the Internet.

Figure out WHY she's meeting strangers on MySpace or similar websites. Parents need to look at why their teen girls are vulnerable to this, says Dr. Boesky. "What is it that's missing in her life?" she asks. "What is it she's seeking from this person on MySpace? Once you figure that out, how can you help her fill that void in a healthier, safer way?

Most of today's teen girls are desperate for a connection. Once they meet the first person who will give that to them, their judgment often goes out the window. Part of it is that they're not getting that connection at home or from friends. It's a normal need, but they're going about it in a dangerous way."

Tell her about people who've been taken advantage of, raped, or murdered as a result of MySpace. You may also want to use real-life examples of girls who have been murdered, raped, or who've disappeared after meeting someone through MySpace, Facebook, or Craigslist. (Google "Donna Jou" for starters — she's a 19-year-old who went on a date with a guy she met on Craigslist last year and hasn't been seen since.)

"Don't tell her about these cases in a lecturing way, or a holier-than-thou way," says Dr. Boesky. "You want to come from an 'I'm concerned about this because …' angle. Parents should stay away from phrases like 'you should' or 'you shouldn't.' Try 'I'm concerned' or 'I'm worried' instead. The last thing you want her to do is shut you out."

If you find out after the fact that your kid met a stranger, ask why. "If they do meet someone online and you later find out about it, ask your teen what made her think this was okay," Dr. Boesky advises.

"This might make you get out of your own head and into your teen's logic. They have a whole other logic about meeting people online than we do. There's no way to understand them unless you get a sense of where they're at — not where they should be. Keep in mind, it's part of the teenage years to feel invulnerable and 'unique.' They truly believe 'this will not happen to me.' Parents need to show them that there are other teens just like them out there and it did happen to them."

Internet safety is an issue parents may need to continue to discuss with children of all ages.

Kidsafe has several reports on the this topic including a cyber-safe e-book for kids & teens

Rock To Stop the Violence – Bullying and Cyberbullying Preventionkidsafe

kidsafe — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 19:01:35 +0000

This month 1 in four youth will be physically, emotionally or verbally abused by another youth. Bullying isn't a joke.

You can be an anti-bullying rock star this month. October is Bullying Prevention Awareness Month. Sure there are many programs that target anti-bullying. But what about programs in your homes, business, and tolerance or diversity classes in schools?

Rock to Stop Violence would like everyone to know the facts, choose not to ignore the warning signs of bullying on either side that can cause severe depression, low self-esteem, poor school performance and even suicide.

We encourage you to take the time to discuss tolerance and diversity in your homes, businesses and classrooms.

You can help. You can make a positive difference.

For more information about our programs, upcoming curriculum, use of posters for your classrooms or seminars, or to request a presentation, visit our website at http://www.rocktostop.org.

Here are a few other recent posts about cyberbullying prevention

CNN's week long series on Cyber-bullying

Larry Magid's recent post on how exaggerating bullying might lead to more bullying offline and online.

The Justice Department addresses the issue of bullying and cyberbullying

and unfortunately what parent's don't know about cyberbullying may hurt them – but should they spy?

Rock to Stop Violence Team

How do you feel about all this attention to bullying this month? Do you think it will be old news and forgotten next week? leave your comments below let us know your views.

from: Kid Safe