America Links Up

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(No Transcript)
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Why should parents care about computers and the
Internet?

• Technology skills are crucial to childrenÌs
  future success
• By 2000, about 60 of new jobs will require
  technology skills
• People who use computers on the job earn 43 more
  than other workers

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How do kids use computers and the Internet?

• Children are increasingly using new technologies
  in school, at the library, at home and in
  after-school activities
• A May 1997 estimate shows nearly 10 million
  children online
• 27 of U.S. classrooms have Internet access and
  78 of schools have some kind of access to the
  Internet
• Two out of three public libraries provide
  computers and Internet access for public use

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Parents need to be involved

• 89 of parents believe computer skills are
  important to future success
• The Internet presents new parenting challenges
• Parental involvement is essential to ensure kids
  have a safe, rewarding and educational online
  experience
• Parents help children assess the value and
  importance of information they find

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A shared responsibility

• Ensuring a positive and safe online experience is
  a shared responsibility
• Parents, teachers, librarians and others need to
  make sure kids have access to and are guided
  safely through the Internet
• Companies in the online industry like those
  supporting America Links Up are helping kids have
  a good experience online

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The Basics

• America Links Up is a public awareness and
  education campaign that provides adults and
  children with the information and tools to help
  ensure a safe, rewarding and educational
  experience online
• America Links Up is supported by a diverse
  coalition of non-profits, education groups,
  government agencies and corporations

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What is the Internet?

• A large computer network linking together
  millions of small computer networks all over the
  world
• You can be part of it!

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What makes the Internet unique?

• It's interactive, meaning that unlike TV, the
  broadcast is two-way
• Anyone can 'publish' on the Internet
• For the first time, the vast majority of the
  world's knowledge is accessible to anyone
• Millions of people can share and take part in
  online communities

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What can you do on the Internet?

• Find information by using search engines
• Publish information on your own web site
• Send messages by e-mail
• Join a club through a newsgroup
• Find someone in an online phone book

• Have a conversation in a 'chat' room
• Make airline reservations, invest in the stock
  market
• Get directions and draw maps
• Go shopping and more!

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What does the Internet offer children?

• Communication via e-mail and chat rooms
• The world's resources are available to supplement
  their learning
• Access to other cultures
• New analytical and infomation processing skills
  to build lifelong learning skills

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Examples

• Homework helpers
• Information about subjects and activities they
  are interested in
• Maps and weather
• Entertainment (games, clubs, etc.)

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What do you need to start?

• A computer
• A modem
• A phone line
• An account with an online service or an Internet
  service provider

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What is a web site?

• A collection of information on the Internet
• It is made up of pages, words, images, sounds
  and/or video
• Each is assigned a 'URL' or address so you can
  find it on the web
• A good site has a clear purpose with contact
  information clearly identified. The information
  should be well-organized and updated regularly

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Web site addresses
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Browsers and search engines

• A browser is a software program that lets you
  read web sites
• Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Explorer are
  examples
• A search engine is a program that helps you find
  information
• Alta Vista, Lycos, Yahoo and Infoseek are
  examples

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How does e-mail work?

• You enter a recipient's e-mail address in the
  'To' space in your mail program, type your
  message and hit send
• Your message then travels across the Internet to
  the recipient's electronic mailbox
• The message is stored by the recipient's Internet
  service provider until the recipient logs on to
  the Internet
• When receiving messages, you can send copies to
  others by forwarding

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What are newsgroups?

• A conversation that takes place on a
  bulletin-board-like space
• You can post messages seeking advice, comments or
  information
• Someone will reply to your message later in a
  public form
• You can 'talk' with others about a specific topic
  like health, education or recreation
• Some have explicit material not suitable for
  children

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What are chat rooms?

• Chat rooms are 'live' conversations online
• Conversation usually centers around a common
  interest
• Some are monitored, some are not

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Ensuring a Safe, Educational and Rewarding Trip
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Is the Internet safe?

• Like the road, the Internet has some risks, but
  there are ways to protect kids online
• When children are small, you teach them to hold
  your hand when crossing the street. But as they
  grow, you slowly give them more freedom until
  they end up driving by themselves
• Like all endeavors your kids will undertake,
  common sense says you should be aware and
  stay involved

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What are the risks on the Internet?

• Content Children may see material that is
  inappropriate or even illegal
• Contact People on the Internet may not be who
  they say they are and predators use the Internet
  to find victims

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Examples

• Finding bondage material when searching for James
  Bond
• Getting e-mail advertising adult sites
• Making inappropriate friendships and sometimes
  dangerous contact with strangers in chat rooms
• Downloading viruses, giving out personal
  information

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The Internet is a public place

• It allows kids to communicate with friends they
  know and people they don't
• Parents need to make sure their children's
  privacy is protected and teach kids why privacy
  is important
• One way to protect privacy is to not give out
  personal information like phone numbers,
  addresses or credit card numbers, especially in
  chat rooms and newsgroups
• Parents should check websites their children
  visit for privacy policies

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Safer Surfing Kids Online Tips for Parents

• Take the trip together. Take the time to see what
  your kids are doing online and what their
  interests are
• Teach kids to never give out their name, school,
  address, phone number, picture or other personal
  information to people they meet online,
  especially in public places like chat rooms
  and bulletin boards.

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Kids Online Tips for Parents cont'd

• Instruct your child to never plan face-to-face
  meetings alone with online acquaintances
• Tell your child not to respond and to let you
  know if they receive offensive or dangerous
  e-mail, chat or other communications

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Kids Online Tips for Parentscont'd

• Establish clear ground rules for Internet use
  with your kids. Decide whether or not to use
  parental control tools or protective software
• Put the computer in the family room or other open
  area of the home. Or use the computer together at
  a library, school or community center

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Tips for Kids Online

• I won't give out my name, age, school, address,
  phone number, picture or any other information
  about myself or my family without getting
  permission
• If I see or get something online that looks weird
  or bad or makes me feel uncomfortable, I won't
  respond, I'll leave that area right away and
  tell my parents

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Tips for Kids Onlinecont'd

• I won't get together with anyone I meet online
  without getting my parent's permission first.
• I won't open or accept e-mails, files, links,
  URLs or other things online from people I donÌt
  really know or trust
• I won't give out my password to anyone but my
  parents, not even to my best
  friend

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Resources available(www.americalinksup.org)

• Parental tools (safety guides, good sites,
  Internet information)
• Browsers and filters
• Great sites for kids