Our Students Communicating in

the Digital World:

The Dangers of Electronic Media

Dr. Jeremy Visone, Principal

Anna Reynolds Elementary School

• Internet: Instant messaging, Social Media

Platforms (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

• SMART Devices: texting, picture messaging,

apps (Facebook, Twitter/Vine, Kik, Instagram,

Snapchat, etc.)

• Video Games: Closed Chat vs. Open Chat

How Our Students

Communicate

• Ease of use

• Instant gratification

• 24/7/365

• Follows them everywhere

• Escape from reality

• All my friends . . .

Why Our Students

Communicate Electronically

• Ease of hurting someone

• Tone is difficult to convey

• “Anonymity,” or feeling of it, at least

Why Students’ Electronic

Communications can be

Troublesome

• Consider your own life and interactions (email a “no” reply versus a phone call)

• Closing the computer/turning off phone when done

• Impulsivity

• Peer pressure and desire for conformity

Ease of Hurting Someone

UR annoying!

Loser!

Whatever!

%*^(&!

Ease of Hurting Someone

• Talking with students/children:

How would feel if someone said this to you?

If you wouldn’t want Mom/Dad/

Grandma/Coach/Principal to read it, don’t post it!

Ease of Hurting Someone

• Again, consider your own life and interactions (sarcasm in an email)

• 90% of communication is nonverbal

• Writing skills lag verbal communication skills

Tone is Difficult to Convey

Hi Sam

Hey

Whts up

Nothin stpid

Tone is Difficult to Convey

• Talking with students/children:

Not the place for sarcasm . . .

Say what you mean . . .

Don’t overreact!

Benefit of the doubt . . .

Tone is Difficult to Convey

• Forgetting ones’ audience can be the world

• Trust in one’s “friends”

• What if your “friends” change?

• Impulsivity (again)

“Anonymity”

Did you see what Wendell was wearing today?

Eww. He’s gross!

That was so funny when Wendell fell—what a loser!

“Anonymity”

• Talking with students/children: There is no such thing as private

in the electronic world (ex. screen shots, forwarding, retweeting, printing, URLs, etc.)

If you don’t want <insert name of kid you are insulting here> to read it, don’t post it!

“Anonymity”

• Sexting: sexual conduct by sending inappropriate messages or pictures, usually via a cell phone, email, or social networking site

Sexting

• MTV/AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research • 1300 people aged 14-24 surveyed

online • 2011: 32% involved in some sort of

sexting • 2013: 26% involved in some sort of

sexting • 2013: fewer reporting rumors, spying,

or other harrassment

Sexting

http://www.youtube.com/watch

?v=rINDWMRUSV0&feature

=related&safety_mode=true&

persist_safety_mode=1

Sexting Consequences

• CT: Sexting = Misdemeanor (for some)

• CT: School Climate Law (Public Act 11-232; C.G.S. 10-222d; role of school) • “written, oral, or electronic

communication”

• “substantially disrupts” –OR-

• “creates a hostile environment at school”

Some Legal Issues to

Consider

• Stamford: (2013) bullying arrest of 12 year old for disorderly conduct in escalating conflict with former friend

• Outside of CT: FL (2013) 14 year old and 12 year old arrested with felony aggravated stalking in suicide death of 12 year old Rebecca Ann Sedwick

Some Legal Issues to

Consider (Recent Examples)

Putting Cyber Bullying into

Perspective • Seemingly small interactions can still be hurtful.

• It is much easier to say something mean via electronic means.

• Tone is difficult to convey (up for interpretation).

• Every year, dozens of children commit suicide due to (cyber) bullying.

• According to the Cyberbullying Research Center in 2010, 21% of 11-18 year olds reported being cyberbullied and almost as many admitted doing so themselves.

What Can be Done if Cyber

Bullying Affects Your Child • CT State Law now allows schools the authority

to intervene with consequences if cyberbullying affects the victim at school

• Encourage your child to never say anything online that they would not say in person to the other child or in front of you, me, or other adults

• Save any documentation (i.e. printouts of chats, logs of numbers of calls, saving negative images, etc.)

• Involve Police if there are threats or other crimes

Ways that Lack of Privacy

Can Cost Your Child

• Reputation with friends

• School discipline

• Possible colleges/employers (College

admissions officers checking

Facebook, Google, and Internet have

quadrupled recently.)

• Legal consequences

So, what is a Parent to do?

• Developmental appropriateness (cell phones, Facebook [13]/Vine [17], etc.)

• “Nanny software”: an example is PC Pandora (www.pcpandora.com)

• Parental controls from Internet and cell phone providers

• Beware of multiple Facebook pages

• Be very aware and proactive: The new “The Talk”

So, what is a Parent to do?

• Share your negative Internet

experiences

• Model appropriate and cordial

electronic posting behavior

• Be alert to changes in your child

• Learn the lingo (ex. “9” or “P911”=

parent present; www.netlingo.com)

Resources

• ConnectSafely www.connectsafely.org Tips, advice, and the latest news on online safety

• AllSafeSites www.allsafesites.com A child-safe Internet search engine

• Trend Micro www.trendmicro.com/internetsafety Lots of information on Internet safety

Another Resource

A presentation about this content, as

well as online predators and other

topics can be found at:

• www.ar.npsct.org (View Dr. Visone's Updated Dangers of

Electronic Media Presentation for 2013)

• www.youtube.com (Search for Dangers of Electronic

Media, and my presentation will pop up as one of the first

items, or use the direct link http://youtu.be/DX4IKjmYk2I.)

Questions?

Thank you for coming and spreading these messages to our children!