Digital Kids: Safe, Smart, and Responsible

A Guide Created for Parents of 4th, 5th, and 6th Grade Students

	Resources for Online Safety	Helping Children Become "Media Savvy"
	Other Internet Safety Resources	Instant Messaging
	Parental Controls: Web Filters, Time Monitors, and Other Tools	Recommended Books
	Protecting Privacy / Online Tools	Handouts from Parent Education Evening

Village School provides links to various resources as a service to our community of Parents, Teachers, and Students. We are not "software testers" and typically do not have first hand knowledge of the products listed below. All links below lead to external sites outside of our school website.

Resources for Online Safety

Blogging Wikia Information about blogging, including a bloggers code of conduct.

Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use Cyberbullying is sending or posting harmful or cruel text or images using the Internet or other digital communication devices. This site provides parent handouts, links to articles, and other related information on cyberbullying.

Connect Safely "Smart socializing starts here" is the motto for this offshoot of safekids.org. This site provides tips on staying safe in the Web 2.0 world.

CyberSmart Comprehensive curriculum designed for teachers and parents is presented in an easy to use format. The content covers appropriate use of the Internet, property rights, ethics, and Website evaluation.

CyberSmart - Cyberbullying Dealing with Online Bullies

CyberSmart - Safe Talking Online Safe Talking in CyberSpace

CyberSmart - Security Tips Top 10 CyberSecurity Tips:

Don't Talk to Invisible Strangers NYTimes Article (3/9/06)

GetNetWise The Internet offers kids many opportunities for learning, constructive entertainment, and personal growth. At the same time, parents are concerned about the risks kids face online. The challenge for parents is to educate themselves and their children about how to use the Internet safely. GetNetWise can help. Featuring an Online Safety Guide, Tools for Parets, and Websites for Kids

How to Protect Children Online Discussions of the biggest online risks for children. Also provides ten excellent tips for parents with helpful links. (Posted by McAfee.)

Internet Safety Podcast The Internet Safety Podcast is a non-profit weekly program to educate parents, teachers, and teens about the benefits and risks of technology. The program helps make technical issues and solutions accessible in an educational, entertaining, and useful way.

iSafe Founded in 1998, i-SAFE America provides Internet safety information and knowledge to students, parents, and everyone in the community in a variety of ways.

Love Our Children USA For almost ten years, Love Our Children USA has become the go-to prevention organization for all forms of violence and neglect against children.

Net Lingo NetLingo has been the leading Internet dictionary since 1995 helping millions of people understand the online world of business, technology and communication. And now we've just launched a new website with updated terms, tips, and tools to keep you in the know.

NetSmartz The NetSmartz Workshop is an interactive, educational safety resource that teaches kids and teens how to stay safer on the Internet.

NetSmartz - Overview of materials by age Read an overview of NetSmartz age-appropriate materials for each age group.

NetSmartz 411 Parents' and guardians' premier, online resource for answering questions about Internet Safety, computers, and the Web.

OnGuard Online OnGuard Online provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information. As a starting point, viewing and discussing the content of these informational videos will go a long way toward ensuring you and your children are informed and aware of potentially harmful things that lurk on the Internet.

Parent's Guide to Internet Safety Published by the FBI as a guide for parents to help them understand the complexities of on-line child exploitation.

SafeKids Your family's guide to making the Internet and Technology fun, safe and productive.

SafeTeens A place for parents and teens to learn how to use the Internet safely. No preaching, just good advice

Safety Clicks A resource for Online Families sponsored by AOL

Safety on the Information Highway - for children Publications of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

Safety on the Information Highway - for teens Publications of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

TechSmartz Resource page for the Linn County Sherrif's Office's Internet safety program

TechSmartz Podcasts Welcome to techSmartz Podcast Homepage. We will frequently post new podcasts to promote Internet Safety tips, emerging trends threatening online youth, and provide how-to advice for many websites.

Web Wise Kids Web Wise Kids offers resources for parents

Web Wise Kids - Wired With Wisdom A fast (20 min) and free online program for children and parents called Wired with Wisdom

Wired Safety The world's largest Internet safety, help and education resource

Other Internet Safety Resources

Your Cyber Education Consutlants - Lori Getz offers consultations, in home sessions, and sessions via webcam. She also writes a blog for parents about online safety.

California Technology Assistance Project - excellent collection of resources by topic and alphabetically.

Children Online - Provides links to a variety of resources by topic.

Parental Controls: Web Filters, Time Monitors, and Other Tools

Web Tools
	For Apple's OS X Leopard operating system: Tutorial on setting up time-limiting parental controls Built-in Tools for Parents with Apple Computers: Kidsafe features of Mac OSX How to set the Mac OS to restrict web site access Using parental controls to set safe limits on an account Firefox: Firefox is one of the very best, most secure web browsers and has hundreds of plug-ins that increase functionality. Here are several relating to content filtering and privacy: FoxFilter is a personal content filter that helps prevent stumbling onto inappropriate content and block access to specific content and Web sites. AOL: About American Online's (AOL) Parent Controls
Web Filters In addition to parental control settings on AOL, MSN, Firefox, and OS X Leopard, the following software can be used to monitor and/or limit computer use.
	Safe Eyes for Mac OSX and Windows has received many accolades. Lots of features to select from. Content Barrier for Mac OSX Bumper Car for Mac OSX 10.3 and higher CyberPatrol for Windows NetNanny for Windows has received many awards recently Family Guardian for Windows ProCon Latte: Filter web pages containing explicit content based on text on websites. Leech Block is a simple productivity tool designed to block any web site. You can specify up to six sets of sites to block, with different times and days for each set. You can block sites within fixed time periods (e.g., between 9am and 5pm), after a time limit (e.g., 10 minutes in every hour), or with a combination of time periods and time limit (e.g., 10 minutes in every hour between 9am and 5pm). You can also set a password for access to the extension options, just to slow you down in moments of weakness! "I used Procon latte to stop my kids from getting on to sites i didn't want them to and it works perfectly for that, it wasn't soon after that i found a more brilliant solution, if you download the Procon add on and the leech block add on it all fits very well, the combination is brilliant you get the white list and the profanity filter from Procon and ad blocking and time filtering from leech block, the 2 become a perfect parental control system, just make sure you have your own custom block page for each add on." Niall Jackson, December 5, 2007
Time Monitors
	MacMinder: A time-limit tool for Mac computers, though no longer supported it is still available: Download from: www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/8806 Article by Chris Howard (2006) about MacMinder PC Home SoftwarePC HOME SOFTWARE (Windows OS only) They produce: Kids PC Time Administrator Parental Control Tool PC Time Limit (Windows OS only) PC Time Manager (Windows OS only)
Computer Monitoring Software monitors instead of filtering content:
	GURL Watcher - for Macs and PCs More complete monitoring solutions: SpectorPro: for PCs for Macs I Am Big Brother (PC only) EBlaster by Spector (PC only) Chatwatch 5 (PC only)– records all IM from both ends and has a built in acronym translator ChatChecker - records and monitors most IM programs for parents. (For PC only, Not Macs)
Choosing the best filter for you: Reviews of Web Filters
	Safer Internet - Protecting Our Children On the Internet Using Content Filtering and Parental Control Techniques. Top-Parental-Control-Software - Review of various parental control software including Web Watcher which has a time manager. Web Watcher says "set times and days in which specific programs can be run". Monitoring Software Reviews.org SharewareConnection.com - Various shareware solutions for Time-limiting software for PCs Internet Filter Review Library Filtering.org
Other Tools:
	Internet Security Key - Turn off the internet with a key Time4Learning.com - an integrated online educational enrichment program for PreK-3rd integrated with a safe online playground of games. GetNetWise Tools for Families -A comprehensive database of tools available to families to help keep their kids safe online.

Protecting Privacy / Safety Online - Resources for Parents, Teens and Children:

WiredSafety.org

NetSmartz.org

Safe Teens

CyberAngels

Safety tips for teens and tweens

A Parent's Guide to Internet Safety from the FBI

NOTE: The best effectiveness against Spyware is to use two or three different anti-spyware applications and to stop using Internet Explorer, which is the most attacked piece of software in the Windows operating system. Instead, download and install the better browser Firefox.

Helping Our Children Become "Media Savvy":

Media Awareness Network

Jo Cool or Jo Fool cyberquiz

Kathy Schrock's Guide to Critical Website Evaluation

The Center for Media Literacy - a resource for articles and information on teaching media literacy

Media Awareness Network - practical tips for helping parents manage media in the home

KidsNet - helps children, families and educators intelligently access the educational opportunities available from television, radio and multimedia sources.

Smart Guide to Kids' TV - from the American Academy of Pediatrics

Understanding the TV Ratings - from The TV Parental Guidelines

The Television Project - founded to help parents understand how television affects their families and community

Common Sense Media – provides ratings for Movies, TV, Games, Books, Websites, and Music

Instant Messaging:

ChatDanger.com

Help Kids Know the Risks of Chat Rooms

Teen Safety in Instant Messaging

Understand the language of IM

ChatChecker - records and monitors most IM programs for parents. (PC only)

Chat Acronym Decoder / IM Shorthand Lists:

Teen Chat Decoder

Instant Messaging Shorthand List

JaBabel.com

IM Dictionary

Net Lingo Dictionary

http://www.missingkids.com/adcouncil/pdf/lingo/onlinelingo.pdf (13 pages!)

Reccommended Books:

While there are a number of books related to this topic, here are two that we have read recently:

Generation Text: Raising Well Adjusted Kids in an Age of Instant Everything by Michael Osit

Bringing Up Geeks by Marybeth Hicks

Handouts and Printable Resources:

Powerpoint Presentation

Booklet about Cyber Safe Kids - http://www.cskcst.com/pdfs/cskcstpread.pdf

Common Sense Media Tip Sheets -

Cell Phones

Internet Safety for Middle School Students

Internet Safety for Elementary School Students

Contracts for Parents and Children -

Parent/Teen Internet Agreement

Family Contract for Online Safety - for children

Family Contract for Online Safety - for parents

Common Sense Media Family Media Agreement - for grades K-5

Common Sense Media Family Media Agreement - for grades 6-8

Blogging Wikia	Information about blogging, including a bloggers code of conduct.
Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use	Cyberbullying is sending or posting harmful or cruel text or images using the Internet or other digital communication devices. This site provides parent handouts, links to articles, and other related information on cyberbullying.
Connect Safely	"Smart socializing starts here" is the motto for this offshoot of safekids.org. This site provides tips on staying safe in the Web 2.0 world.
CyberSmart	Comprehensive curriculum designed for teachers and parents is presented in an easy to use format. The content covers appropriate use of the Internet, property rights, ethics, and Website evaluation.
CyberSmart - Cyberbullying	Dealing with Online Bullies
CyberSmart - Safe Talking Online	Safe Talking in CyberSpace
CyberSmart - Security Tips	Top 10 CyberSecurity Tips:
Don't Talk to Invisible Strangers	NYTimes Article (3/9/06)
GetNetWise	The Internet offers kids many opportunities for learning, constructive entertainment, and personal growth. At the same time, parents are concerned about the risks kids face online. The challenge for parents is to educate themselves and their children about how to use the Internet safely. GetNetWise can help. Featuring an Online Safety Guide, Tools for Parets, and Websites for Kids
How to Protect Children Online	Discussions of the biggest online risks for children. Also provides ten excellent tips for parents with helpful links. (Posted by McAfee.)
Internet Safety Podcast	The Internet Safety Podcast is a non-profit weekly program to educate parents, teachers, and teens about the benefits and risks of technology. The program helps make technical issues and solutions accessible in an educational, entertaining, and useful way.
iSafe	Founded in 1998, i-SAFE America provides Internet safety information and knowledge to students, parents, and everyone in the community in a variety of ways.
Love Our Children USA	For almost ten years, Love Our Children USA has become the go-to prevention organization for all forms of violence and neglect against children.
Net Lingo	NetLingo has been the leading Internet dictionary since 1995 helping millions of people understand the online world of business, technology and communication. And now we've just launched a new website with updated terms, tips, and tools to keep you in the know.
NetSmartz	The NetSmartz Workshop is an interactive, educational safety resource that teaches kids and teens how to stay safer on the Internet.
NetSmartz - Overview of materials by age	Read an overview of NetSmartz age-appropriate materials for each age group.
NetSmartz 411	Parents' and guardians' premier, online resource for answering questions about Internet Safety, computers, and the Web.
OnGuard Online	OnGuard Online provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information. As a starting point, viewing and discussing the content of these informational videos will go a long way toward ensuring you and your children are informed and aware of potentially harmful things that lurk on the Internet.
Parent's Guide to Internet Safety	Published by the FBI as a guide for parents to help them understand the complexities of on-line child exploitation.
SafeKids	Your family's guide to making the Internet and Technology fun, safe and productive.
SafeTeens	A place for parents and teens to learn how to use the Internet safely. No preaching, just good advice
Safety Clicks	A resource for Online Families sponsored by AOL
Safety on the Information Highway - for children	Publications of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Safety on the Information Highway - for teens	Publications of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
TechSmartz	Resource page for the Linn County Sherrif's Office's Internet safety program
TechSmartz Podcasts	Welcome to techSmartz Podcast Homepage. We will frequently post new podcasts to promote Internet Safety tips, emerging trends threatening online youth, and provide how-to advice for many websites.
Web Wise Kids	Web Wise Kids offers resources for parents
Web Wise Kids - Wired With Wisdom	A fast (20 min) and free online program for children and parents called Wired with Wisdom
Wired Safety	The world's largest Internet safety, help and education resource