Internet SafetyMyth or Achievable Goal?

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OverviewThere are two sides to anyone’s qualification to talk about Internetsafety. On one side is the technical experience to know what is outthere and what is coming. On the other end, there is the humanelement. The desires, tendencies and trends that drive the use andabuse of the technology. I have spent the past 15 years growing myskills and understanding in both areas.

Key Qualifications Professional software developer for 17 years Monitored and protected Internet use at a college for 7 years Skilled network engineer Hacker Youth worker Parent

“ There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.

— Colin Powell ”

| About MeA GEEK WITH A PASSION FOR THE HEARTS OF STUDENTS

3| RoadmapWHERE WE ARE GOING TODAY

OVERVIEW:

We will take a peek at the

issues surrounding the

Internet and digital

communication. This will

be a high-level overview of

some of the problems and

dangers that everyone

faces, but especially

students.

SPECIFICS:

Next we will dive a bit

deeper into a few key

areas to highlight some of

the deficiencies in our

current protection systems.

We will also identify some

areas where lesser-known

threats can creep in.

SOLUTIONS:

Finally, we turn the corner

into what to do about these

issues. This is where we

identify key activities and

actions that can guide and

protect students from the

dangers of the digital

world.

TOOLS:

Sometimes protection from

danger includes

implementing systems to

aid us in our efforts to

protect our students. Here

we will discuss how

specifically to enable some

of these safeguards.

OVERVIEWBREAKDOWN BY THE NUMBERS

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Three quarters of these young men use pornography at least once a week

81%

One third of these young ladies use

pornography at least once a week

48%

| Pornography UsageYOUNG ADULT USAGE OF AT LEAST 1-2 TIMES PER MONTH

http://www.covenanteyes.com/pornstats/

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Mixed Boys Girls Mixed

90% 90% 60% 41%Internet users who

only use free material

Boys who were exposes to

pornography before age 18

Girls who were exposed to

pornography before age 18

Pre-teens who have viewed pornography

at least once

| Exposure to PornographyTHE ACCESSABILITY AND AVAILABILITY OF PORN

http://www.covenanteyes.com/pornstats/

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Sent Naked Pictures of ThemselvesOne in every five teens have transmitted or posted nude or semi-nude pictures or videos of themselves. The breakdown is 22% of girls and 18% of boys.

39%

50%

20%

Sexually Suggestive Texting39% of teens have sent a sexually suggestive message to another individual. The breakdown here is 37% of girls and 40% of boys. Once they reach their young adult years, this jumps to 59%.

Cyber bullyingNearly half of all teens have bullied someone else via social media or other electronic means. Girls are just as likely as boys to be the target or the perpetrator.

| Teen Interactions ElectronicallyWHAT HAPPENS WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING

http://thenationalcampaign.org/resource/sex-and-techhttp://www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/cyber-bullying-statistics.html

8| Contact with StrangersWHO ARE STUDENTS INTERACTING WITH ONLINE

Even if a student is only online for a limited amount of time each day, their information is available 24/7. Predators, Internet trolls and other

types of negative individuals are constantly looking at and pursuing students online.

29%Stalked OnlineStalked or contacted

online by someone they did not know.

55%Personal Info

Teens who have willingly given out

personal information to a stranger.

24%Leaked Info

Teens who have had private or

embarrassing information leaked

online.

18%Private Profile

Teens who have created a private email address

or social networking profile.

http://facebook-parental-controls-review.toptenreviews.com/30-statistics-about-teens-and-social-networking.html

SPECIFICSWHERE STANDARD PROTECTION FAILS

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Students can communicate with their friends or even completestrangers without you knowing. Apps such as Snapchat make thistask not just easy but rather the default means of communication.This has led to a significant rise in students taking and transmittingnaked or semi-naked pictures of themselves to others.

Other apps like WhatsApp allow for long-term communication withothers without the ability to retrieve conversations once they havebeen removed from the system.

| Private CommunicationsCOMMUNICATIONS ARE NOT TRACEABLE

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The Internet is a place where anonymity allows users the freedom toexperience the benefits of wrong actions without any of theassociated consequences. Steal a CD at the mall and there is a goodchance you will get caught. Steal an entire library of CDs online andno one will ever know.

This anonymity wears on an individual until it gets to the point wherethey no longer consider the action wrong. Examples of these types ofactivities include: Music/Movie “sharing” Buying/Downloading homework answers Hate Speech

Justification for the actions becomes a core belief of the user, to thepoint where they will argue their moral right to participate in theactivity.

| Freedom From ConsequenceERODING VALUES ONE BIT AT A TIME

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It used to be that Internet access used to be limited to your desktopcomputer at home. Now almost every electronic device that uses ascreen has Internet access. Phones, tablets, laptops, game systemsand more can access the Internet. What’s more, this access is notlimited to your home network. Most phones have data plans nowand wifi is practically everywhere.

Unfortunately, that isn’t the only thing that is now readily accessible.Other things include: Drugs and drug tutorials Deviant materials including child pornography and bestiality Ideology and a community of supporters

It used to be a lack of information or a lack of access restricted thetrouble an individual could get in. The barrier to entry into theseharmful behaviors has been lowered significantly, to the point whereaccess into almost any activity is available to anyone.

| AccessibilityIF YOU WANT IT, YOU CAN GET IT

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Your student is constantly at risk from child predators. No longer arethey tied to physical locations. They can now target children online,track their victims and even victimize them without getting physicallynear them.

Some of the common information leaks come from: Open Facebook profiles GPS data from images and posts Location or image tweets Check-in apps like FourSquare

Once a child has been victimized, shame and fear can keep themfrom reporting the incident. Threats of exposure can allow anattacker to push for more access to a victim.

| Child PredatorsTHEY CAN ATTACK FROM ANYWHERE

14| Cute BreakSOMETIMES YOU NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND SMILE

https://twitter.com/ThatsCute/status/515897156327469057 https://twitter.com/ThatsCute/status/510057484208574465

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Every website, app and social media account has an agenda.Sometimes they are obvious. The agenda of Walmart.com is to sellproducts. Other times the agenda is not quite as clear or it ismisrepresented intentionally.

Here, a Twitter account is used to push sexy topics in order to drivetraffic, and thus ad revenue. Unfortunately, it also tends toencourage viewers to pursue more and more explicit material.

Other sites (and apps especially) will encourage addictive behaviorssuch as gambling in order to drive sales. Unfortunately, thisencouragement is often subtle. Users don’t know they are beingsucked in until it is too late.

Spyware, adware and click-bait are also used to target not only theuser’s current web activity but also the activity of the user wheneverthey are on the computer.

| EnticementLEADING USERS DOWN THE WRONG PATH

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The more people move their interactions online, the less theyinteract in the real world in a meaningful way. Friendships andreinforcement of beliefs occur much easier online. Unfortunately, aswe have already seen, who people are online is a construct.

In this digital world, positive emotions are cheapened and negativeemotions are heightened. Emotives like LOL (laughing out loud) andLike are used much more freely online, to the point where they nolonger carry the weight that they do in the real world.

Conversely, the freedom of the online construct allows users to moredirectly express their negative feelings towards another. Hatefulcomments like STFU (Shut the F**k Up) and DIAF (Die in a Fire) aremild compared to some of the interactions people have with eachother online.

| IsolationVULNERABILITY AND DEPRESSION OFTEN FOLLOW

COFFEEBREAKTAKE 15 MINUTES TO RELAX

SOLUTIONSHOW TO PROTECT STUDENTS ONLINE

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Internet BlackoutTrying to stop all Internet access is not a reasonable goal. Like it or not, the Internet is a part of our culture now. Free wifi is everywhere, thelibrary offers both free Internet access as well as the computers to access it on and even if your students do not have devices capable of gettingon the Internet, their friends do.

Trust a SystemThere are a number of systems and “solutions” out there that will tell you how they can protect your student from the Internet. At best this is apartial solution and at worst it is a way to pass the blame when things don’t go well. Systems will not protect your students. No matter howhard you try, they will get past any defense you put in place.

Freak OutYour students are going to get in trouble online. They are going to be exposed to bad things on the Internet. It is natural to want to protectthem but panic and rash actions will only serve to drive a wedge between you and them. If they do not feel comfortable talking to you aboutbad things that happened to them, they will hide those things from you.

Give UpIt can seem like a losing battle with no hope for victory, and in some ways it is. You aren’t going to be able to prevent harm from coming to yourkids. The thing is, that is true in all of life. Just because it is difficult and just because you aren’t always going to succeed doesn’t mean youshould quit on your students.

| What Not To DoGETTING THIS WRONG WILL CAUSE MORE HARM THAN GOOD

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A Dozen Talks over a Dozen YearsThis is the way to talk to your kids about a number of serious things, including “The Talk”. Don’t try to tell them everything at once or make itthis awkward conversation. If they relate talking to you about important subjects with being awkward, they won’t come to you when they havea serious problem. Instead, make open conversation a part of normal life.

Communication without FearWhat would you do if your student told you they had been sending naked pictures of themselves to others? That reaction can prevent yourstudent from ever telling you. When you are faced with smaller issues, show your student that you can be trusted. Don’t just hand outpunishment for wrongdoing. Give them consequences that are natural. Show them that you are fighting for them, not against them.

AccountabilityYou want your student to be accountable to you. However, this often becomes a “do as I say, not as I do” situation. Be open about how you areaccountable to someone else. For instance, constantly model to your student that you are accountable to your spouse. Don’t just show thegood times. When you fail, even in a little area, show them. Talk them through the impact of your failure.

Know what is Going OnGet involved in the same things your kids are (but not so you can spy). Ask them to help you figure out Instagram. Find out what their favoritegame is on their phone and then play it yourself. Listen to the music they listen to (again, not to judge). If you show that you are interested inknowing more about what they are interested in because it interests you, your student will be more likely to open up and involve you. This cangive you the opportunity and the right (in their eyes) to gently talk to them about the negative outcomes of some of their activities.

| Relational SolutionsEVERYTHING STARTS WITH A RELATIONSHIP

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Put Computers in Public PlacesThis used to be easy. You put your desktop in the living room or kitchen and life was good. Now, with laptops, tablets and gaming systems, the“computer” can move around. Set some family boundaries around how you will use these devices. Set normal workstations up to be in publicareas. Also, don’t discourage the use of tablets and phones around others. Rather, encourage use in moderation.

Keep Chargers in the KitchenMobile devices need to charge on a daily basis. The typical location for these chargers is next to the bed (the phone is an alarm clock after all).Unfortunately, this also means that ready access to the Internet is only a few feet from your student at night. Help limit this temptation byputting charging stations in a public location.

Turn off Wifi at NightCertain routers will allow you to schedule Internet availability. Set up certain hours to be “Internet-free” times. This will reduce the temptationsof the Internet during those vulnerable hours when students are awake alone. Don’t forget that this does not limit cellular data or access to theneighbors wifi.

Use Safety Tools and TechniquesWhen searching the Internet, make sure safe search is enabled by default. Use an ad blocker to limit the number of distractions that are madevisible to you. Use an Internet filter to reduce the chances of accidentally going to a bad site. Search for websites, don’t just guess at their URL.Stick to known sites whenever possible. Avoid free “stuff”.

| Situational WisdomSET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS

TOOLSTECHNOLOGY THAT CAN HELP YOU SUCCEED

23| Parental Controls on the RouterPROTECTING THE DEVICE THAT DISTRIBUTES YOUR INTERNET AT HOME

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Some routers come with parental controls built into them. This is beneficial because

any device that connects through the router is then covered by the routers parental

controls. Netgear is an example of a company that provides excellent parental

controls on most of their new devices. They offer Internet filtering through OpenDNS

and they offer other features such as timed Internet shutoff, device filtering and

secure guest networks.

Examples:

Netgear Wireless-N Router

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/netgear-wireless-n-router/8998506.p

Netgear N600 with Cable Modem

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/netgear-n600-dual-band-wireless-n-router-with-built-in-cable-modem/3707003.p

24| Parental Controls on the SystemUSING THE BUILT-IN PROTECTION OF EACH SYSTEM

>

Most operating systems on computers, tablets and gaming platforms have some type

of parental control built into them. Each is different in what it allows but this is a free

way to protect most devices.

Examples:

Windows

http://www.technospot.net/blogs/how-parents-can-control-kids-activity-on-windows/

Mac

http://www.macworld.com/article/2030156/configuring-parental-controls.html

Xbox 360

http://support.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-360/security/xbox-live-parental-control

PS3

http://manuals.playstation.net/document/en/ps3/current/basicoperations/parentallock.html

25| Parental Controls from the ProviderCONTENT PROVIDERS OFTEN PROVIDE SOME TYPE OF PROTECTION OPTION

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Content providers such as ISP (Internet Service Providers) and cable providers

typically offer some type of protection system for parents. This is typically limited to

basic monitoring and controlling but it is one more place where safeguards can be

put in place.

Examples:

Verizon FIOS

http://my.verizon.com/micro/parentalcontrol/Default.aspx

Verizon Wireless

https://wbillpay.verizonwireless.com/vzw/nos/safeguards/safeguardLandingPage.action

Time Warner Cable

http://www.timewarnercable.com/en/internet/features/internet-security.html

AT&T

http://www.att.net/s/s.dll?ep=16594&ch=smct

26| Additional Software SolutionsSOMETIMES YOU MAY NEED TO PAY FOR WHAT YOU NEED

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Not all free solutions are going to fit your particular needs. If you find that nothing

provided by the router, system or provider fits what you are looking for, it may be

time to look at purchasing something. Just be careful to pick something trusted and

reliable.

Examples:

Safe Eyes for Windows and Mac

http://www.internetsafety.com/index.php

Funamo for Android devices

http://www.funamo.com/user/registration

OpenDNS for networks (used by Netgear)

http://www.opendns.com/home-internet-security/parental-controls/opendns-home/

Covenant Eyes for computer and devices

http://www.covenanteyes.com/

27| Computer SecurityPROTECT YOUR COMPUTER SO IT CAN PROTECT YOUR FAMILY

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A computer that is riddled with spyware is a danger to your family. Not only does it

make everything slower, it sends personal information about your family to the

Internet. Adware can also load unwanted and inappropriate ads even when you are

not browsing the Internet. Keep your computer clean and safe. Each tool here has a

free version that works just fine.

Examples:

Avast Anti-Virus for the PC, Mac and Android

http://www.avast.com/

Malwarebytes for Windows

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

CCleaner for Windows

http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

AdBlock for Chrome or Safari browsers

https://getadblock.com/

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Questions?

r > : Å 7

29| Keep in touchLET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS

CompanyEpicross LLC.

www.Epicross.com

Technical Consulting and Training

Contact InformationPhone: (570) 291-7789

tcorey@Epicross.com

Social MediaFacebook.com/WhySettle

Twitter.com/IAmTimCorey

YouTube.com/IAmTimCorey