Internet Safety

I don’t have children or even teach in a school.  Technology has changed a lot since I last taught private clarinet lessons.  It seems as though everyone does business on the internet these days.  Sometimes it seems as though people post too much about themselves on the internet.  Whatever happened to a little privacy?

If I had a child, I would want to protect them from having too much information on the internet.  When I create my website, I want to create it in a way that allows privacy for my students, while still being informative.   I went online and found that there is much more to internet privacy than I originally thought.  Here are some examples:

·         Protect students from online predators

·         Protect students from cyberbullies

·         Protect students from posting personal information online

·         Protect students from posting anything that could come back to “haunt” them later

·         Protect students from inappropriate content

·         Protect students from deceptive advertising

·         Keep students from violating copyright

The best way to prevent these things from happening to students is to model good use of the internet and to educate them of the dangers that could be encountered.  I’m sure schools and school districts have guidelines to help.

I Keep Safe is a website that educates parents and students on the dangers of the internet.  There are sections for parents, educators, and communities.   The website even offers lesson plans for teachers to use as tools to help students. 

Technology will continue to evolve along with new ways for online predators to exploit students.   We must be ever-vigilant in defending younger students from harm.