Definition of Identity Safety
While there is no concrete definition for Identity Safety, it is what it sounds like. Identity Safety is protecting your identity and keeping yourself safe on the internet. The problem is that you don't know who is on the other side. Identity Safety refers to practices and precautions one has to observe when using the internet. This is done to ensure that your personal information and your computer remains safe.
Legal/Safety Issues
The FCC (Federal Communication Commission) leaves it up to each school district to come up with their own ways on how to educate their students in proper behavior. In 2008, Congress passed the Broadband Data Improvement Act. The act focused on protecting students in the 21st century. It also states that each district should promote safety and protect children from cyber crimes including crimes by online predators. More information about legal/safety issues can be found on the website attached above.
Tips For Parents
- Communicate, and talk to your child about sexual victimization and potential on-line danger.
- Spend time with your children on-line. Have them teach you about their favorite on-line destinations.
- Keep the computer in a common room in the house, not in your child's bedroom. It is much more difficult for a computer-sex offender to communicate with a child when the computer screen is visible to a parent or another member of the household.
- Utilize parental controls provided by your service provider and/or blocking software. While electronic chat can be a great place for children to make new friends and discuss various topics of interest, it is also prowled by computer-sex offenders. Use of chat rooms, in particular, should be heavily monitored. While parents should utilize these mechanisms, they should not totally rely on them.
- Always maintain access to your child's on-line account and randomly check his/her e-mail. Be aware that your child could be contacted through the U.S. Mail. Be up front with your child about your access and reasons why.
- Teach your child the responsible use of the resources on-line. There is much more to the on-line experience than chat rooms.
- Find out what computer safeguards are utilized by your child's school, the public library, and at the homes of your child's friends. These are all places, outside your normal supervision, where your child could encounter an on-line predator.
- Understand, even if your child was a willing participant in any form of sexual exploitation, that he/she is not at fault and is the victim. The offender always bears the complete responsibility for his or her actions.
Tips For Teachers
Tips for Educators:
- Use complicated passwords that only you can remember. Do not use your birth date or last name. Change your passwords often.
- Understand that online photos and videos can be copied and altered.
- Do not download files or links in emails sent to you by people you do not know.
- Your students safety is important to you. Advise them on how to be safe on the Internet as well.
Tips For Students
Tips for Students:
- Don't give out personal information, for example: your address, phone number, or school name unless you have permission from you parents. Look out for scams that ask for your personal information.
- Never agree to meet with anyone you meet on the web. You never know who is on the other end.
- Use passwords that only you can remember.
Links
http://www.pcsndreams.com
http://www.wiredsafety.org/safety/personal_information_safety/id_theft/index.html
http://www.cybersmart.org
http://www.cosn.org/Initiatives/CyberSecurity/OnlineSafetyInformation/Resources
/LegalIssues/tabid/5276/Default.aspx