Week 2c: Internet Safety

After watching the associated videos and reviewing the reading material prescribed by my class, I told my friend Paul (I won't use his full name or give you any other highly personal information in order to protect his online identity) about what I learned. Because I plan to be a teacher and he plans to be a family man some day, my main concern was how to protect children in their internet usage. The main thing is to be aware of how they spend their time, i.e. what sites they visit and what they share. With blogs becoming so popular and so many attractive internet offers that pop up, kids need to know what to look for to know what is legitimate and what signs give warning for potential danger. Kids should never give out personal information like full names, social security numbers, phone numbers, addresses, etc. They should also check with an adult before following up on any internet offers. They shouldn't join groups of become friends with strangers or become involved in any other suspicious activities. Paul and I agreed that parents should be involved in their children's online social lives and set standards and rules in what they visit.