Dennison Sept Digital Citizenship

Check out these 4 tips
1) Be a role model.
Before you post a photo of your kid on social media, ask if it's OK to share. Not only will you give them control over their own digital footprint, you'll also be showing them what you expect them to do with others' photos.
2)Use privacy settings.
Together, go through all the settings on new apps to make sure you both know what information your kids are sharing. Especially in the beginning, it's better to share very little.
3)Question everything.
Before you sign school forms or register for a new online service for your kid, check the privacy policy to see what kind of information you're giving the school or company and who they're sharing it with. Sharing some data might be required, but you may be able to opt out of others. Talk with your kid about why it's important to protect your personal data.
4)Use a celebrity as an example.
With older kids, choose a celebrity or another famous person and look through their Twitter or Instagram posts with your kid. Discuss your impressions of them based on what they post. Ask your kid what kind of image they'd like to project online.

How do I protect my kid's privacy online?

First, there are two kinds of online privacy. Personal privacy refers to your kid's online reputation, and consumer privacy (also known as customer privacy) refers to the data companies can collect about your kid during an online interaction or transaction. Both are important, and a few simple steps can help parents and kids keep their private information private.
The first step is using strict privacy settings in apps and on websites. When you or your kid gets a new device or signs up for a new website or app, establish your privacy preferences. Follow the directions during initial set-up, or go to the section marked "privacy" or "settings" and opt out of things such as location sharing and the ability for the app or website to post to social media sites such as Facebook on your behalf. Encourage kids to read the fine print before checking a box or entering an email address. Although it might not be practical to read through every Terms of Service contract, it's good to remind kids to be aware of what information they're agreeing to share before they start using an app, a website, or a device.
Next, teach your kids always to consider the information they're potentially giving away when engaging online. For younger kids, define that information as address, phone number, and birth date. Make sure they understand the basics of good online behavior, too, including thinking about the impact of posting a photo or comment. Remind them that it's not always easy to take back something once it's online and that texts and photos can be forwarded to anyone.
Finally, there are some legal restrictions in place to help protect your kids' consumer privacy and insure they're using age-appropriate websites and apps. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) prevents kid-targeted websites and apps from collecting data from kids younger than 13 without parental consent.

5 Popular Internet Myths

Myth: Social media turns kids into cyberbullies.
Truth: There are many reasons why a kid might cyberbully, and social media is just a convenient way to do the dirty work.
The reality is that kids who engage in this behavior typically have outside factors that cause them to act out. They might be in crisis -- at home, at school, or otherwise socially. . Awareness of a cyberbully's circumstances -- though not excusing the behavior -- can help parents and educators recognize the warning signs and potentially intervene before it goes too far.
Myth: Teaching kids not to talk to strangers is the best way to keep them safe online.
Truth: Teaching kids to recognize predatory behavior will help them avoid unwelcome advances.
In today's world, where kids as young as 8 are interacting with other online they need to know the boundary between appropriate and inappropriate conversation. Go beyond "stranger danger" and teach them what kind of questions are not OK (for example, not OK: "Are you a boy or a girl?"; "Where do you live?"; "What are you wearing?"; "Do you want to have a private conversation?").
Myth: Social media alienates kids.
Truth: Most kids say social media strengthens their relationships.
Most kids want to have fun, hang out, and socialize normally online -- and in fact, according to current research, that's what the majority is doing. Check out these comforting stats:
57 percent of all teens have made new friends online
84 percent of boys who play networked games with friends feel more connected when they play online
68 percent of teen social media users have had online friends support them through tough or challenging times
And how about the kids who've fought cyberbully and used the internet for a social cause? More and more, kids are harnessing the power of the online world -- and busting up a few myths along the way.
Myth: It’s dangerous to post pictures of your kids online.
Truth: If you use privacy settings, limit your audience, and don't ID your kids, it’s pretty safe.
Although it's true that posting anything online invites some risks, there are ways to limit them if you're smart about how you do it.
Use privacy settings. Make sure your privacy settings are set so only the closest people in your network can view your posts.
Limit your audience. Only share posts with close family and friends. Or use photo-sharing sites such as Picasa and Flickr that require a log-in to see pics.
Don't rush your kids into social media. Obey the rules about keeping kids under 13 off social media. Once your kids have an online profile, they can be tagged in photos, which magnifies their online presence. If you're going to upload photos of them, don't identify them and don't tag them -- that way the photo can't be traced back to them.
Myth: Parental controls are the best way to monitor my kids’ online activities.
Truth: Focusing on only one Internet safety method lulls you into a false sense of security.
To keep your kids safe online -- and to raise them to be responsible, respectful digital citizens -- it takes more than installing parental controls. For starters, parental controls can be defeated by determined kids. They also often catch too much in their filters, rendering any Internet search useless, and they set up a "parent vs. kid" dynamic that could backfire.

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