Devereux-Blum Training Director Sharyn thinks learning cyber safety is an important part of being a Prepared Kid. Children today are referred to as ‘digital natives’ as they can access many forms of technology. They adapt quickly to new ways of communicating like Instagram and Snapchat (forget Facebook, that’s old school according to teens). Take the example of one of our office administrator’s children who recently broke her arm in the playground. When the nurse applying the cast asked: “any questions?”, the child asked: “can I still use technology?” How can we ensure our children are safe on the internet?
Research done reported that 1 in 5 New Zealand high school students are being cyber-bullied. Targets of cyber bullying often say that it makes them feel scared, depressed, angry or ashamed. The impact of cyber bullying often has more of an impact than physical bullying due to its relentlessness.
Susan McLean, an expert in cyber safety, recently gave 2 talks to Scots College children. (Kapi-Mana News 12/7/16). Her top tips were:
- Be aware, be educated and be involved. Knowledge is power
- Know where your kids go online and who they talk to.
- Social Media sites have age restrictions. Help your children obey them. Do not enable them to lie.
- Help them to use all the safety and security settings the site has.
- Let them know that they can come to you no matter what they do.
- Set clear rules about tech use, including no devices in bedrooms.
- Know their passwords and pass-codes. Don’t stalk.
- Be prepared to discuss sensitive issues such as pornography and sexting. If you don’t they will look online.
- Embrace technology for the benefits rather than focus on the negatives. It’s here to stay.
Read the Stuff article about Susan McLean.
• Netsafe – information for parents and caregivers
• Netsafe NetBasics – animated episodes about computer security issues
• Facebook Safety
• YouTube Safety
• Instagram Safety