Staying safe in cyberspace

The recent Australian Covert Bullying Prevalence Study found that one in four students in Years 4 to 9 experienced bullying every few weeks, with up to 10 per cent of bullying occurring by means of technology (Sydney Morning Herald, 1 June 2009). A recent poll conducted on the Catholic Education website also showed that 71% of respondents believe advances in technology have led to increases in bullying.

Cyber bullying is just one of the dangers associated with new technologies, reinforcing the need to educate young people in responsible online behaviours. Below are some basic tips to inform young people of acceptable and unacceptable cyber behaviour. These guidelines are supported by schools throughout the Parramatta diocese.

• Personal information stays personal – children should not give out passwords, photos or personal details such as phone numbers and addresses to anyone online.

• Information on the web is not always reliable – discuss with children ways of assessing reliable information online.

• Treat others on the net the same way you would like to be treated – remind your children that cyber bullying has serious consequences both at a school and personal level, as well as the possibility of legal and criminal consequences.

• Be aware of 'stranger danger' – chat rooms pose a particular threat in this area and young web users should be warned of the dangers and advised not to answer messages that make them feel uncomfortable or seem improper, indecent, or threatening. Young people should also be advised not to arrange meetings with people met over the Internet without asking their parents first.

• Discuss online experiences with a teacher or parent – children should be encouraged to share their experiences both good and bad.

• Report cyber bullying – children and teenagers should be encouraged to speak with a teacher or parent if they see instances of cyber bullying, for example, other students filming an inappropriate incident on their mobile phone.

• Be careful when downloading programs from the Internet – teach your children how to use virus scan software to avoid viruses.

• Hacking into computers is not a game – it is a serious crime, as is downloading copyrighted material such as software, music, books and art from the internet.

For parents one of the most difficult aspects of cyber bullying and other dangers online is that they are often unaware of the risks and unsure of how the technology works. One of the best ways to keep your children safe online is to get involved and be aware - learn all you can about information and communication technologies and talk to your children about what they do online. Young people today are growing up in an ever-changing technological environment and can be engaged in a number of activities such as social networking (e.g. Facebook, Bebo, MySpace), blogs, instant messaging, chat and online gaming. You can use the internet yourself to research some of these activities to get a better understanding of the online world your children participate in. Asking your children to explain the technology is also a good way to improve your knowledge of their activities as children are often keen to share their online expertise.

The website www.chatdanger.com is a great starting point for parents, offering real life case studies of young people using mobile phones, chat rooms, messenger, email and online games and encountering threats. The site offers tips on how to deal with these situations should they arise, and provides parents with great discussion starters for addressing these issues with their children.

Once parents are aware of the online behaviour and habits of their children, it becomes easier to spot the signs that something may be wrong – for example a sudden reluctance to go online to use the computer may indicate that cyber bullying is taking place. If you discover that your child is being bullied or threatened you can take action. If the bullying is coming from a student at your child’s school always contact your child’s teacher or principal and seek their assistance in resolving the situation. All Catholic schools in the Parramatta diocese have strict policies and guidelines for dealing with bullying and inappropriate behaviour.

If your child is threatened online by someone outside the school environment it is best to report the activity to your local police and Internet Service Provider – e.g. BigPond, NetSpace or TPG. Online crimes are just as serious as offline crimes and need to be treated seriously. Similarly, if your child is receiving threatening or inappropriate SMS messages or phone calls on their mobile phone, alert your phone service provider and if the problem persists, perhaps consider changing the phone number.

In the same way that parents are advised to monitor the television and movies their children are exposed to, it is advisable to supervise the internet usage of young people. Most authorities on cyber safety suggest keeping your computer in a family area and as a family, making rules about appropriate internet use. Another tool that is recommended for families is an internet content filter.

An internet content filter is a piece of software that helps manage access to online content on your home computer. Installing an internet content filter reduces the risk of your family coming into contact with something upsetting or dangerous online but it does not offer total protection. Internet content filters offer a range of different functions to block, screen or monitor unwanted material. Some internet content filters can set time limits for online use as well as help you monitor the online activities of your children. Internet content filters can be individually tailored for different family members. At present, internet content filter technology is still being developed for use with mobile phones. Visit the Internet Industry Association website – www.iia.net.au -  for a list of family friendly and accredited filters.

It is important to note that while internet content filters can be a valuable tool to help keep you and your family safe online, they only do part of the job. Internet content filters should be used in conjunction with the other measures discussed here.

The Internet offers young people access to a wealth of information and tools for enhancing learning, communication, helping with homework and research and providing many opportunities for fun. On the occasion of World Communications Day, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI released a message encouraging the positive use of communication technologies, describing them as 'a gift to humanity' allowing 'students to work collaboratively from different locations' and 'families to maintain contact across great distances'. The Holy Father’s message illustrates how encouraging young people to behave as responsible cyber citizens, helps to ensure that their online experience is an overwhelmingly positive one.

Sources:

www.bullyingnoway.com.au

www.cybersmartkids.com.au

www.chatdanger.com

www.netalert.gov.au

New Technologies, New Relationships: Promoting a culture of respect, dialogue and friendship – A message from the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, from the Vatican, 24 January 2009

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