Computers, Cell Phones & the InternetJOSE CANO AND SAMIE GIDDENS

The Internet

the internet has become an important part of our every day lives

while it has opened new opportunities it has also put us at a greater risk

you can no longer be sure who you are talking to anymore

this lack of knowledge can lead to dangerous situations

cyber bullying

unsecured web sites

Personal Information Online

never give out personal identifying information such as

your name

where you live

where you go to school

He or she may not be the person they portray themselves as

Possible dangerous motives

The Internet and the Law

it is illegal to download copyrighted material without authorization

it is illegal to download or attempt to download sexual pictures of minors

if any such photo is found in your possession you would have to register as a sex offender for life

Sexting

sexting- when a young person sends a sexually explicit or sexually suggestive photo via cell phone or the internet

one in five teens have admitted to sending such photos

most of those were send for their boyfriend/girlfriend

remember once the picture is out there on the internet there is no taking it back

against federal and state law for anybody even minors to possess sexually suggestive photos

it is also illegal to send "harmful matter" intended to arouse or seduce to a minor

Cyber Bullying

Cyber Bullying- when a youth uses an electronic form of communications device to taunt, torment, harass, or threaten another youth

some cyber bulling victims have anxiety and depression, in extreme cases it leads to suicide

however there cannot be any real law against this because it would violate the first amendment right to freedom of speech

under CA law, school administrators have the right to suspend or recommend expulsion for any student caught cyber bullying

in extreme cases youth can be charged for crimes such as threatening a life, committing a hate crime, or cyber stalking

Location-Sharing Devices

They are services that share the user’s physical location with others via their smart phones or social networking sites

Tells others not only where you are but where you are not

This can lead to stalkers or an unwanted angry ex-boyfriend

Or even alert a burglar when the coast is clear

Make sure you know who you’re sharing this info to

Texting

Texts are a lot easier to be forwarded or duplicated to other people

You can’t take a text back once you click send it may be too late

Texts can end up in the hands of your employer, government, or police

It is not illegal for your texts to be looked through by these people

Identity Protection

Identity theft- using someone’s personal identifying data for unlawful purposes

Many emails, frauds, and scams are out there trying to steal your identity

More than 8 million Americans fell victim to this in 2010

How to protect yourself

Protect your social security number

Shred or tear up papers with personal info before throwing it away

Know where you are shopping online and protect your computer

Check your bills and statements