This web site supports Dr. Russell Sabella's work on educating children, parents, educators and other stake holders about the responsible use of technology. Included in these pages you will find helpful resources, lesson plans, links, and more.
Verifying that an email came from Facebook is incredibly simple, but only if you know where to look. It's too bad that Facebook seems to be sending legitimate mail that raises these flags. Just how do you determine if an email that seems to be from Facebook is legitimate? The best security suites are good at detecting phishing emails, but what if you want to check a particularly tricky message for yourself? This article shows you how.
Transforming bystanders into "upstanders" is an effective strategy for bullying prevention. This collection of videos and resources will show students how to speak out when they see someone being bullied.
This October, for Bullying Prevention Month, empower kids by showing them how one person can make a difference when it comes to bullying. It takes courage to move from being a bystander, who is merely observing cruel behavior, to being an upstander, who speaks up against it. I've gathered some resources for you to help teach the kids in your life to be upstanders instead of bystanders, starting by simply choosing kindness and inclusion.
Ways Parents Can Encourage Positive Digital Behavior and Prevent Cyberbullying
As the weather cools and schools close for winter break, your child may spend more time inside. More time inside can mean more time online. Worried about the risks of cyberbullying? There are things you can do to encourage positive digital behavior in kids.
As a parent, you can create trust with your children by starting honest conversations. A discussion with your child is an opportunity to communicate values. Establish expectations about your family’s digital behavior and explain what is appropriate to view or share online. Make sure your child knows which apps can and cannot be used.
Make time to check in with your child about their experiences online. Talk to them about their interactions and address any risks of cyberbullying. Be clear that you are trying to look out for them and that you want to have open dialogue with them. Listen to their concerns and share your point of view.
To minimize the risk of cyberbullying or harm from digital behavior, parents can:
Set clear expectations about how to represent yourself and treat others online
Learn about the harmful effects of cyberbullying and potential legal issues, like hate speech and sexting
Be clear about what content can be viewed or shared
Identify which apps are appropriate for your child’s use and which are not
Limit the amount of time that a child can spend online or on their devices
Model positive, respectful digital behavior on your own devices and accounts
Brand new resource! To help parents support their young kids’ use of digital technology, the faculty at the MARC (Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center) have created a new addition to the Insanely Awesome Book Series. Insanely Awesome Adventures Online uses rollicking rhyme, colorful illustrations, and gentle humor to help kids aged 5-7 understand how to use digital technology safely and responsibly. https://amzn.to/3ypTRTv
In 2021, there isn’t a simple answer about how Generation Z relates to the digital world. They are simultaneously enthusiastic yet trepidatious, seeing both value and risk in spending time online. They understand that this technology plays a crucial role in their lives, and therefore they may need to live with some risk to their online safety to reap the rewards. While the technical and social terrain of young people’s digital lives may be complicated, we see that there is interest, aptitude, and willingness to continue trying to make the online world a better and safer place.
This report aims to center young people's attitudes and experiences in the discussion around online safety, learn from their feedback about what remains difficult, and provide parents, educators, and industry with better blueprints to continue creating solutions.
Executive Summary: Over four billion people worldwide are estimated to use social media by 2025. Though a majority of people use social media to engage with family and friends, people also use platforms and apps to obtain news and engage with …
In May-June 2021, we collected new data from a nationally representative sample of 2,546 US youth between the ages of 13 and 17 to better understand their positive and negative experiences online. This is the type of research we do on a regular basis, and it helps us to keep our finger on the proverbial pulse of what’s going on in the lives of American teens. Even though Cyberbullying has remained an all-too familiar social problem in 2021 that many families, communities, schools, and other youth-serving organizations continue to grapple with. Indeed, we saw a 40% increase in its incidence since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
No matter your age, whenever you are online, your digital reputation is being established. That reputation, or digital footprint, is an insight into who you are. What you say, post, like, or share all make up what others will see as you go through life. And believe it or not, even a thumbs up or thumbs down emoji at the right (or wrong) time, might say a lot about you.
By using tools like our Digital Reputation Checklist, you can take control of your online persona and maintain a positive image of who you are – whether you just joined a platform recently or are well-versed in social media.
Were you one of those kids who secretly stayed up late, watching TV or reading comic books under your covers after bedtime? Kids today are no different—except they have the internet. If you need to give your children a forced break from the web, or just need them to stop hogging all your bandwidth during the day, a few router settings can help make that happen.
"Hate raids"? "Mutuals"? "FYP?" "Diabolical Licks"? "CD9?" "IYKYK"? "Cuffed"? "Throwing"? Have you kept up with the newest social media and gaming slang and terms? Make sure by seeing our NEWLY UPDATED glossary!
Facebook Reality Labs and Ray-Ban have partnered on a new product called “Ray-Ban Stories,” the companies’ first generation of smart glasses.
People using the glasses can activate the camera by pressing a capture button on the top of the earpiece stem. Alternatively, users can use a verbal command with Facebook Assistant, which they can activate by saying the wake word “Hey Facebook,” or using the touchpad on the side of the earpiece stem.
Images and video from the glasses can be uploaded to a companion iOS or Android app called Facebook View and from there shared to Facebook and Instagram, other apps, or saved to the phone’s camera roll. (The glasses do not livestream.)
I was sitting in the bleachers of my son’s recent hockey practice when another parent came up to me and sheepishly asked: “Does your son have a phone?” “Funny you should ask,” I replied. Coincidentally enough, we gave our son his first full-functioning phone that very day. I don’t think this particular parent knows what I do for a living, so he wasn’t asking “the expert,” he was simply asking another parent. This led to a nice conversation about what I have learned about kids and devices in my research over the years.
Today we’re announcing three updates to protect people from racism and abuse on Instagram. We don’t allow hate speech or bullying on our platform, and we hope these new tools will help protect people from having to experience abuse.
Instagram update: Users under the age of 16 in the US (or under 18 in the EU and elsewhere) will have their accounts set to private upon sign-up. Those teens with public accounts will be instructed how to become private, but will not be forced to do so. https://t.co/pIF7qGjBHapic.twitter.com/QTR1Gygngt
Each checklist has 10 unique ideas (socially distanced or not) that give parents a chance to boost family time. Categorized by Learning, Fun, Social Change, Digital Citizenship, and Go,
there are plenty of ideas suitable for all types of families looking to
reincorporate a few pre-pandemic habits back into their routines.
Building on a 2020 feature that lets users choose who can reply when composing a message, this update could prove especially useful for folks whose posts receive unexpected attention or unwanted responses. Simply tap on the three-dot menu in the upper right corner of a tweet to modify the "Change who can reply" option. The function, according to Mashable, is rolling out globally on iOS, Android, and the web.
The Miller School District is an equal opportunity employer, in central South
Dakota. The Miller School District is a class A school district with a
student population (K-12) of approximately 460 students. Interested
candidates are welcome to contact me personally to discuss the expectations of
the position by emailing courtney.vanzee@k12.sd.us
Below you will find the link for the district's employment opportunities and
application process.
JOB PURPOSE: The Intervention Specialist role is to create a flexible program and classroom environment favorable to student learning and personal growth. This role will also be responsible to provide the necessary support to students to ensure they meet their maximum potential, while assisting the Principal in providing a school atmosphere in which learning is of prime importance by implementing CSUSA policies designed to maintain a superior educational environment.
Whether your children are younger or in their teens, the Family Link app lets you set digital ground rules remotely from your own device to help guide them as they learn, play, and explore online. For children under 13 (or the applicable age of consent in your country), Family Link also lets you create a Google Account for your child that's like your account, with access to most Google services.
Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) is actively seeking to hire
counselors of color and applicants with diverse backgrounds. Our pool is open
with a priority deadline of March 5th. Apply now for an opportunity to join
RAMPed colleagues and a phenomenal, supportive team! Find out more here: Counseling / Prospective Employees and Interns
YouTube has announced a new, supervised experience for parents who have decided their tweens and teens are ready to explore YouTube. More details here:
Teaching Internet Safety to Young Kids: The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has released season two of Netsmartz’s "Into the Cloud," a series of videos to educate children ages 10 and under about Internet safety. While season one addressed reporting unsafe and inappropriate interactions and content, season two addresses online exploitation, reporting and removing online inappropriate content.
Using Into the Cloud™
Each episode of Into the Cloud™ is between 3-6 minutes long, making them ideal for a variety of environments, from technology class to afterschool and home use.
Each episode has a corresponding discussion guide that can be used in one-on-one and small group settings.
Additionally, classroom activities on the themes of trust, identity, and reputation are available for use with the complete first season.
Keep kids engaged after the episodes with "Cloud Chaos!" the Into the Cloud™ game, available online and in the app store.
ConnectSafely is proud to be the official US host of Safer Internet Day, a global event celebrated in more than 100 countries, this year on Tuesday, February 9. Here are a few ways you, your classroom, your home or your organization can join us and people across the globe to send the message that making the internet great for everybody takes everybody.
This year, our U.S. theme is “The internet starts with I & ends with T" — asking everyone to think about “What I can do to make the internet better.” And while we can take personal responsibility for our own actions, we can also work together. “Internet ends with T” reminds us that we’re all in this together. That includes families, companies, governments and everyone else. We all have a role to play.
Here are a few key ways to celebrate Safer Internet Day in your community or home. See the full list at SID-USA.org.
Industry Insight
Watch ConnectSafely’s “Industry Insight” video series for a look at what tech companies, policymakers and others are doing to keep people safe on apps and services. The series launches Feb. 8 on SID-USA.org.
Lesson Plans
ConnectSafely’s Education Director Kerry Gallagher created lesson plans for elementary, middle and high school students with activities based on our theme in the following topic areas:
I protect my accounts and devices
I share responsibly so I don’t spread false information
Safer Internet Day is a great opportunity to discuss digital safety and civility with your kids. Some conversation starters:
Discuss our theme The internet starts with "I" and ends with "T." What does that mean and how does it apply to your family?
Brainstorm “rules” for digital civility. Create an online and printed pledge with everyone’s best ideas.
You see a post or fact online that just doesn't seem right. How do you check if it's true? Do you share it, correct it or just ignore it?
An ad pops up while you’re doing a search—you click on the ad—it takes you away from your original search. What do you do?
You’re using an app that you have permission to use, but while using the app you get a message from someone you don’t know. What do you do?
You post a picture of a friend or classmate and they ask you to take it down. What do you do?
Companies & Community Organizations
Sign up to become a Safer Internet Day U.S. partner! Check out our partner kit for ways to participate in Safer Internet Day with your customers and employees. Once you know your company’s plans, email us the details at the link at the bottom of this page.
Use the hashtags #SID2021 and #SaferInternetDay and don’t forget to tag @connectsafely. See SID-USA.org for ways to rally your followers and get the word out about Safer Internet Day.
