Protecting Your Child

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Protecting Your Child Internet Safety
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• OUTLINE
• STATISTICS
• SAFETY TIPS
• PARENT PLEDGE
• STUDENT PLEDGE
• HRSB and a draft AUP
• FJHS SCHOOL PAGE

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Statistics on Canadian Youth and Chat Rooms Use
of chat rooms by Canadian youth, aged 9-17
Chat is a very popular activity across all age
ranges, but parents are generally unaware of
this 56 per cent (six in ten) of all kids use
chat rooms. 67 per cent of secondary school kids
use them. But only 12 per cent of parents say
their kids use chat rooms.
Most younger kids behave safely in chat rooms
but more than half of the older kids engage in
risky behaviours, such as going to private areas
of chat rooms or visiting adult chat rooms Some
33 per cent of 9-10-year-olds use chat rooms, and
26 per cent visit private and adult chat
areas. 56 per cent of 11-12-year-olds visit chat
rooms, and 37 per cent visit private and adult
chat areas. 75 per cent of 13-14-year-olds visit
chat rooms, and 54 per cent visit private and
adult chat areas. 72 per cent of 15-17-year-olds
visit chat rooms, and upwards of 60 per cent
visit private and adult chat areas. Kids in
secondary school are more likely to report going
into adult chat rooms.
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Experiences with people on the Internet
Many kids are asked for personal information and
in-person meetings by online acquaintances More
than four in ten kids (43 per cent) say they have
met someone on the Internet who asked for
personal information about them, such as their
photo, phone number, street address or school. Of
the kids who were asked for this kind of
information, only 8 per cent told a parent about
it. Nearly half (46 per cent) of kids say that
someone has made unwanted sexual comments to them
on the Internet. 25 per cent of younger kids
report that someone they met online asked to meet
them in person and that figure jumps to 43 per
cent for 15-17-year-olds. Of the 15 per cent of
kids who did meet an Internet friend in person, 6
per cent went with a parent or other adult, and 9
per cent took a friend or went alone. Of the kids
who did meet an Internet friend in person, 67 per
cent say they have no rules about this kind of
activity. Of the kids who met an Internet friend
in person, 12 per cent say the experience was a
bad one.
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What children are at risk?
The children most at risk may display the
following traits New online and unfamiliar
with Netiquette Actively seeking
attention/affection Rebellious
Isolated or lonely Curious Confused
regarding sexual identity Easily tricked by
adults
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How can parents minimize the risk of a child
becoming a victim?
Talk to your kids about sexual predators and
potential online dangers. Young children
shouldn't use chat rooms, periodthe dangers are
too great. As children get older, steer them
towards well-monitored chat rooms for kids. Even
teens should be encouraged to use monitored chat
rooms. (For a listing of safe chat rooms for
kids, see Finding Great Kids' Sites on the right
sidebar.) Instruct your children to never leave
the public area of a chat room. Many chat rooms
offer private areas where users can have
one-on-one conversations.
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Talk to your teen. Seventy percent of teens
surveyed for Young Canadians in a Wired World say
their parents talk to them very little about
their Internet use. Finding out where kids are
going online and who they are talking to is
not infringing on privacy but smart parenting.
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Establish rules. Be clear with your child
about what they should and should not do on
the Internet.
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• Learn about computers. Take a computer or
  Internet course and then discuss with your
  children.

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Family Online Agreements
A family online agreement is a set of rules for
home Internet use. An online agreement should
offer your kids clear guidelines on Where they
can go online, and what they can do there How
much time they can spend on the Internet What to
do if anything makes them uncomfortable How to
protect their personal information stay safe in
interactive environments and behave ethically
and responsibly online
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Family Contract for Online Safety Parents' Pledge
I agree to the above     ________________________
_____________________Parent(s) I understand that
my parent(s) has agreed to these rules and agree
to help my parent(s) explore the Internet with
me. _____________________________________________
Child sign here  
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Family Contract for Online SafetyKids' Pledge
I agree to the above      ________________________
_____________Child sign here I will help my
child follow this agreement and will allow
reasonable use of the Internet as long as these
rules and other family rules are followed.
_____________________________________Parent(s)
sign here
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http//hrsbaup.ednet.ns.ca (This is a
DRAFT)User Name aupPassword atty
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http//www.fjhs.ednet.ns.ca