Family Guide to the Internet 2006 HOW DO I HELP MY CHILD LEARN TO USE THE INTERNET WISELY? Many parents would agree their children know a lot more about using the Internet than they do, but finding the right balance between making sure our children are prepared for a high-tech world and protecting them from potentially dangerous situations is a top priority. Websites that children visit must be age appropriate and constantly monitored by parents for content. The Department of Education is now offering a comprehensive K-12 Internet safety curriculum to schools and workshops for parents. You can ask your school's parent coordinator, librarian, or technology specialist if your school plans to use it. If they do not have plans but are interested in launching the curriculum, encourage them to contact the Office of Parent Engagement, School Library Services, or Office of Instructional Technology to arrange for internet safety that trains parents, teachers, and students at your school. In the meantime, here are some tips for keeping your child safe. How can I supervise Internet use at home?  Set ground rules. Make sure your children understand the rules and agree to follow them  Discuss with your child the appropriate amount of time to spend online  Talk about specific hours for use  Discuss if an adult should be present when your child is online  Help your child select user names that are appropriate and do not reveal personal information  Know your child’s passwords  Let your child know that you will be checking what they are doing online  Go online with your child to find safe, acceptable, interesting, fun, and appropriate uses of the Internet  Talk with your child about how to use the internet safely and appropriately  Become familiar with the parental controls (such as blocking and filtering) available through your Internet Service Provider but ensure your child is armed with the knowledge of how to use technology safely even without these controls  Read the Privacy Policy of any site that asks your child for personal information How does the DOE supervise Internet use at school?  The DOE filters students’ Internet access, blocking undesirable and dangerous sites. The DOE constantly updates security controls for the instructional network and restricts access to non-DOE wireless networks  The DOE has an Internet Acceptable Use Policy that outlines the responsibilities of users. What are some possible signs of inappropriate Internet use?  Your child spends a lot of time online or in chat rooms, especially at night       Your child is secretive about what he/she is looking at online and quickly changes the site when you enter the room You find pornography stored on the computer Your child makes or receives communication from people who you don’t know or screen names you don’t recognize Your child receives gifts or packages from people you don’t know Your child uses someone else’s e-mail account Your child seems upset or withdrawn, especially after Internet use or when you question him/her about online activities Cyber safety Resources  http://iSafe.org  http://getnetwise.org  http://cybersmart.org/for/parents.asp  http://www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee.htm  http://www.staysafeonline.info Family Guide to the Internet 2007 Key: Inserted Text HOW DO I HELP MY CHILD LEARN TO USE THE INTERNET WISELY? Many parents would agree their children know a lot more about using the Internet than they do, but finding the right balance between making sure our children are prepared for a high-tech world and protecting them from potentially dangerous situations are top priorities. Our children live in a world where cyber bullying, online predators, and online threats of violence are only a keystroke away. Websites that children visit must be age appropriate and constantly monitored by parents for content. The Department of Education is now offering a comprehensive K-12 Internet safety curriculum to schools and workshops for parents. You can ask your school's parent coordinator, librarian, or technology specialist if your school plans to use it. If they do not have plans but are interested in launching the curriculum, encourage them to contact the Office of Parent Engagement, School Library Services, or Office of Instructional Technology to arrange for internet safety training for parents, teachers, and students at your school. In the meantime, here are some tips for keeping your child safe. How can I supervise Internet use at home?  Set ground rules. For example, how much time they can spend online and during what hours? Make sure your children understand the rules and agree to follow them.  Discuss with your child what they did on the Internet, who they talked to, what they saw or learned. Be intimately involved in their online life.  Use the Internet to communicate to the Internet generation. Ask your questions and deliver your concerns and rule reminders using instant messaging, text messaging, and emails. Let the parental voice be present in the virtual world.  Make time to sit and watch your child’s Internet habits regularly so they know they are being monitored. Pay attention to suspicious communications and ask to see what they’re talking about.  Explain to your child the importance of not revealing personal information online including address, school, places they like to visit, photos, and age.  Know your child’s passwords. Let your child know that you will be checking what they are doing online.  Go online with your child to find safe, acceptable, interesting, fun, and appropriate uses of the Internet.  Talk with your child about the dangers that you’re trying to protect them from so they can use your reasoning to make smart choices when you’re not around.  Become familiar with the parental controls (such as blocking and filtering) available through your Internet Service Provider but ensure your child is armed with the knowledge of how to use technology safely even without these controls  Read the Privacy Policy of any site that asks your child for personal information How does the DOE supervise Internet use at school?  The DOE filters students’ Internet access, blocking undesirable and dangerous sites. The DOE constantly updates security controls for the instructional network and restricts access to non-DOE wireless networks.  The DOE has an Internet Acceptable Use Policy that outlines the responsibilities of users. The most current version is at http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/Diit/internet/iaup.pdf. What are some possible signs of inappropriate Internet use?  Your child spends a lot of time online or in chat rooms, especially at night  Your child is secretive about what he/she is looking at online and quickly changes the site when you enter the room  You find pornography stored on the computer  Your child makes or receives communication from people who you don’t know or screen names you don’t recognize  Your child receives gifts or packages from people you don’t know  Your child uses someone else’s e-mail account  Your child seems upset or withdrawn, especially after Internet use or when you question him/her about online activities Cyber safety Resources  http://iSafe.org  http://getnetwise.org  http://cybersmart.org/for/parents.asp  http://www.fbi.gov/publications/pguide/pguidee.htm  http://www.staysafeonline.info  Online Acronymns (AOL)  Find Offenders in Your Neighborhood (familywatchdog.us)