Teen Tech Safety - Oley Valley School District

Online Adolescence:
Keeping Our Youth Safe in a
World of Endless Technology
Oley Valley School District
April 3, 2014
Objectives
• Provide an overview of the most current social
networking, photo sharing, video sharing, and blogging
sites popular to teens as well as statistics regarding what
teens are doing on those sites
• Explore problems teens face through the use of technology
such as cyber bullying, drug-related discussions,
“sexting”, sexual predators, and various forms of
computer and gaming addiction
• Provide analysis of societal influences that help to explain
teen behavior
• Deliver thorough advice on what to do to keep teens safe
What are they doing online?
Social Networking
• 45% of online 12-year-olds use social-network
sites; that number doubles to 82% for 13-year-old
internet users
• 40% of social media using teens check their sites
several times per day
 An online social network is a website that
encourages its users to interact with other users.
They are places where teens can log on to hang
out and socialize with other people- some they
may know “in person,” others they may not
Social Networking Sites
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AIM (Mostly used for IM, but has SN features)
Bebo
Facebook- 93% of teen Social Media users
Flickster
Habbo
Hi5
Friendster
MySpace
MyStack
MyYearbook
Spillit
Tagged
Teenspot
Zorpia
Blogging Sites
 A Blog (web log) is a
journal that a person can
keep online, meaning it
is open to the public and
open to commentary.
 22% of online teen girls
use Twitter.
Popular Blogging Sites
• Blogger
• Formspring
• LiveJournal
• Teendiaries
• Thoughts.com
• Tumblr
• Twitter
• TypePad
• Xanga
Photo Sharing Sites
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Flickr
Fotolog
Gif Maker
Instagram (also a SNS)
Photobucket
Photoshow
PictureTrail
Piczo (also a blog)
Snapchat
Tinypic
Webshot
Zooomr
Many share photos via
Facebook or other SNS
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Video Sharing and Video
Chat Sites
AIM Video Chat
AOL Video
Break
ChatRoulette
Crackle
Google Video/Google Chat
iChat
Know Your Meme
ooVoo
Stickam
Metacafe
MySpace Video
Skype
Spike
Yahoo Video
YouTube
• 37% of internet users
ages 12-17
participate in video
chats with others
using applications
such as Skype,
Google Talk or
iChat.
• Girls are more likely
than boys to have
such chats.
What messages are tweens/teens
hearing?
1. I must be entertained all the time
2. If you’ve got it, flaunt it
3. Happiness is a glamorous adult
4. Success means being a consumer
Real-life Issues Facing Teens
• The skyrocketing craze of teen exhibitionism &
voyeurism
• The emerging culture of narcissism as encouraged
by the medium
• The redefining of friendship & popularity for this
generation
• The pressure teens face to create an online identity
• The sexual, bullying and drug-friendly culture of
the Internet
• The widening disconnect from reality as
experienced by teens
Tech and Values Education
• Talk to your kids about your own values and
expectations
• Keep the lines of communication open
• Establish clear rules about what your kids can
watch online and what they can download
• Take an interest in what your kids are listening
to and are excited about. If you flat-out reject
their love of popular culture, they will be
tempted to shut you out completely
Most tweens and teens are acting very
responsibly while using technology, however
it is still important to set rules and have
conversations about safety.
• What rules do you currently
have at home regarding
computer, cell and gaming use?
• What barriers do you face
in setting and enforcing tech
rules with your kids?
Teens and Social Networking
Pros of Social Networking Sites
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Allows people to connect/reconnect with friends and family
Allows for creative expression
Can converse about homework and schoolwork
Can bring people with common interests together, and allow those
with social anxieties an opportunity to “socialize” with less
pressure
• Some parents and teachers say that using these sites helps students
improve their reading, writing, and conflict resolution skills, learn
to express themselves more clearly, and meet new and different
kinds of students
• Studies have shown that being part of a social network has a
positive impact, including increased quality of life and a reduction
in the risk of health problems
Cons of Social Networking Sites
• Information posted is public; photos and text can be retrieved even
after deletion
• Entices people to spend less time interacting face-to-face (average
teen spends about 9 hours a week on social networking)
• No way to verify that people are who they claim to be
• Makes cyber bullying easier and more public than face-to-face
bullying
• On Facebook, privacy settings revert to a less safe default mode after
each redesign (they redesign often)
• Facebook ads may contain malware
• Cybercriminals can gather information to be used for identity theft
from social networking profiles such as birthdays, pet names,
mothers' maiden names, and other details often used in passwords
and security questions
Recommended SNS
Monitoring Tips for Parents
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Should be at least 13 to set up a profile
Make sure that their privacy settings are in place correctly
Insist on having their username/password
“Friend” them; ask other trusted adults in their life to
“Friend” them as well
• Go through their pictures and “Friend” list routinely
• Check in with your child about their page. Ask them about
how things are going for them and if they might need you to
look in on anything that might be questionable in their eyes
• Give them rules for what can and can’t be shared; i.e., no
personal identifying information
Recommended Social Networking
Safety Guidelines for Teens:
• Don’t forget that profiles are public spaces. Nothing
on the Internet is private. However, taking advantage
of strict privacy settings can reduce risk
• Since people are not always who they say they are, be
careful about adding strangers to your Friends List
• Social Networking sites are for socializing with
existing friends, not for making new ones
• Harassment, hate speech and inappropriate content
should be reported
• Don’t post anything that would embarrass you later
• Don’t mislead people into believing you are older or
younger than you are
Drugs and the Internet
Drugs & the Internet
• Young drug abusers use the Internet to share “recipes” for
getting high
• If you have a credit card (or Amex/Visa gift card), you
can order Rx drugs online and have them shipped to your
front door
• 28 % of online messages about marijuana also often
discuss other destructive behaviors such as drinking,
smoking cigarettes, and cutting (self-mutilation)
• Bogus pharmacies flood e-mail inboxes and with spam
pushing prescription drugs
• 55% of Internet users say they have received an
unsolicited e-mail advertising a prescription drug
Any drug advice a teen wants,
they can find on-line…
• how to make a bong
• how to beat a standard drug test
• how much cough syrup to take based on your
weight in order to get a good high
• how to mimic the symptoms of ADD to get a Rx
for Adderall
• how to grow marijuana
• recipes for making meth, crack & LSD
• how to make pot more potent…you name it
Warning signs that a teen might be
using the Internet & social networking
sites for drug-related activities?
• strange packages that are delivered to the house
• credit card bills with generic or unfamiliar
company names
• drug lingo or symbols on their online profiles
If you suspect, you can…
• check out the history on the computer
• look at the names of the groups your teen may
have joined online
• talk to them about it!
Exposure to Other Harmful
Websites
• Access to online pornography, hate sites, sites that promote
anti-social behavior like bomb making, and sites that
romanticize self-harm
• 36% of eating disorder patients visit
proanorexia websites featuring anorexic
models and diet tip swapping
• There are more than 400 message boards
connecting self-injurious adolescents. The
majority of the postings about cutting are
from girls between the ages of 12 and 20
• The average age of first Internet exposure to pornography is
11 years old
Recommended Internet
Safety Guidelines
• Get the computer out of their rooms!
– 50% of parents say their child has a computer in
their bedroom. Move the computer out of the
bedroom and to a centralized area like the living
room instead. If they complain, remind them that
the computer is a privilege, not a right
– If you are concerned about Internet access via cell
phones, set firm rules or consider getting them a
plan without Internet
Teens and Cell Phones
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57% of 12-13 year olds (8%
smart phone)
• 87% of 14-17 year olds (31%
smart phone)
• As adults, it may give us peace of
mind knowing that our
tweens/teens have a phone in
emergencies, but cell phones do
not come without their own set of
problems
Cell Phone Cons
• The typical teen sends 60 texts per day
• Text messaging allows teens more discretion than you
might be comfortable with, and more opportunity for them
to leave you in the dark about their plans
• It’s hard to monitor teens when you can’t hear or
understand what they’re saying or who they’re making
plans with
• Teens often mix cell phone use and driving
• Troubling photos/videos taken with a cell phone by or of
your teen can quickly and easily be posted to a Web site
• 4 out of 5 teens sleep with their cell phone on or near the
bed with them, interrupting much needed sleep
‘Sexting and Sextortion’
• Sexting- sending nude and/or sexually explicit photographs
and messages electronically
• Sextortion-when someone blackmails the person posing for
those pictures for money or sex
• Studies have reported different prevalence data for sexting:
– Percentage of teens 12-18 having sent/posted nude or
semi nude pictures or videos of themselves ranges from
6%-20%
– Percentage of teens 12-18 that say they have had a
sexually suggestive message sent or shown to them
ranges from 18-40%
Legal ‘Sexting’ Consequences
• In the U.S., it is against the
law to possess lewd
photographs of minors.
In Delaware, sexting can
result in charges of crimes
against a minor
• Taking, sending, receiving or distribution of nude or
semi-nude images of a teen under the age of 18 can,
under the letter of the law, constitute varying degrees of
child pornography offense and be treated harshly
Recommended Cell Phone Rules
• Talk with them about who can have their cell phone
number and what to do if they receive an incoming
call or message from someone they don’t know
• Know and enforce school rules
• Negotiate a written agreement in which they pay for
overages when exceeding monthly minutes/texts
• Don’t let your teen take their cell phones to bed with
them
• Teach and model cell phone etiquette- when it is
appropriate and when it is rude to be attached to their
cell phones
Cell Phone Rules, cont.
• Check their text message inbox/outbox, and the
monthly bill for any unknown incoming and
outgoing numbers
• Make sure you are well-versed in
net lingo and are capable of
interpreting their text messages
& abbreviations to keep them safe
• Teach and model safety, like
NEVER driving and using the
cell phone at the same time
Cyber bullying
Cyber bullying
• Bullying and harassment are the most
frequent threats that minors face, both
online and offline
• Some are more vulnerable to being cyber
bullied than others. A study conducted at
Iowa State University found that 54% of
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
(LGBT) youth had been victims of cyber
bullying within the past 30 days
Cyber Bullying
According to iSafe.org, cyber bullying is
harassment that takes place during on-line
interactions, including, but not limited to:
• Flaming
• Harassment
• Denigration
• Impersonation
• Outing and Trickery
• Exclusion
Signs a Child Might Be a Victim of Cyber-bullying:
1.They suddenly show less interest in the
computer, fail to check e-mails regularly, and
frequently “forgets” to bring his cell phone
with him when he leaves the house
2. Your child is not willing to discuss their online
activities
3. They often appear upset after Internet Use
4. They often use the computer late at night and
there is evidence that they have been covering
their online tracks
Signs a Child Might Be a Victim of Cyber-bullying:
5. They invent mysterious illnesses to avoid
school
6. Their grades are declining inexplicably
7. They are having trouble sleeping (may
develop a bed-wetting problem)
8. They seem depressed, withdrawn, angry,
fearful, or irritable
Teach kids that they are
never truly anonymous online
• However careful someone may be about
privacy, whenever you go online your
computer leaves a digital footprint or record
that tells Internet Service Providers exactly
who you are and where you’ve been
• More and more, colleges and potential
employers are going online to
investigate applicants
Keeping teens safe online means teaching
them to be smart, responsible users of the Internet.
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Teach Teens To:
Recognize that the Internet is a community
Think before they click: With whom are they
chatting or e-mailing, what are they saying and how
are they saying it? Will the person on the other end
know they are joking?
Walk away from the computer and “Take 5” before
responding to something that upsets them online
Avoid spreading rumors, assisting in cyberbullying
or sharing private communications online
Follow the golden rule of cyberspace: Don’t do
anything online that you wouldn’t do in real life!
Internet PredatorsShould we be concerned?
Internet Predators
• Studies how that the risk of a young person being physically
assaulted by an adult they met online is extremely low
• Risky online interactions such as a young person talking online
about sex to unknown people increases vulnerability
• Cases of adult to child sexual encounters on social networks
typically involve post-pubescent youth who were aware that they
were meeting an adult male for the purpose of engaging in
sexual activity
• Youth identify most sexual solicitors as being other adolescents
or young adults between the ages of 18 and 21 and that youth
typically ignore or deflect solicitations without experiencing
distress
Warning Signs that a child might
be at risk for an on-line predator
1. They are spending large amounts of time
on-line
2. Presence of porn
3. Mysterious calls
4. Receiving gifts
5. Hiding the screen
6. Child seems withdrawn
Is it addiction?
When teens just can’t log-off…
How much time is too much time spent
online, on the phone or gaming?
Internet Addiction
• Experts say that as many as 10 percent of Internet
users exhibit symptoms of addiction
• When you're arguing with a teen about the amount
of time she's spending online and she just can't get
her paper done because her AOL Instant
Messenger keeps alerting her something new and
exciting is happening with her best friend, then
call it what you like, it's a problem - for you, the
child, and the entire family
Gaming Addiction
• Computer and video games, especially MMORPGs, allow
players to behave very differently from their normal
persona
• Sense of power- they have the ability to command armies,
drive (and crash) cars, and wreak havoc on a virtual world
with no real-life consequences
• When a boy or girl is already finding it a challenge in the
"real world" to make friends, computer and video games
offer a way to interact with others in their "virtual world,"
without the distress of face-to-face interactions
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends
2 hours per day max of gaming
Warning Signs of Tech Addiction
• Preoccupation with use
• Loses track of time while online or gaming
• Sacrifices needed hours of sleep to spend time online or
gaming
• Becomes agitated or angry when their tech time is
interrupted or denied
• Spending time online/gaming when should be doing
homework or chores. Grades likely drop
• Prefers to spend time online rather than with friends or
family
• Disobeys time limits that have been set
Warning Signs, Cont…..
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Lies about amount of time spent online/gaming
‘sneaks’ use when no one is around
Has lost interest in activities that were enjoyable before
Is irritable, moody or depressed when not
online/gaming. Mood improves when he or she logs
back on
• Hides from uncomfortable feelings and situations
through online/gaming use
• Becomes defensive when you try to discuss the topic
Physical Symptoms:
• Carpal tunnel, dry eyes, backaches, migraines
• Neglecting personal hygiene
• Skipping meals
Keeping Teens Safe
Consider:
1. Signing a Family Internet Safety Rules and
Usage Contract
– A solid contract outlining your own Terms of Use is well
within the rights of a parent trying to raise one of today’s eteens.
2. Installing Filtering and/or Monitoring
Software
Sources:
• Kelsey, Candice M. Generation MySpace: Helping Your Teen
Survive Online Adolescence. Marlow & Company: New York,
2007.
• www.computeraddictionanswers.com; www.notmykid.org
• www.iSafe.org
• The Pew Internet & American Life Project:
• The Harrison Group
• The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned
Pregnancy.
• Willard, Nancy. Educator’s Guide to Cyberbullying &
Cyberthreats. Center for Safe & Responsible Internet Use.
• http://www.theantidrug.com/advice/teens-today/teens-andtechnology/cell-phones.aspx