Digital Citizenship: Digital Safety and Security
As part of our ongoing 7th grade Digital Citizenship program, this month our students explored Digital Security. Commonly defined as the precautions users must take to protect their personal safety and the security of their network, the issue of online safety and security affects people of all ages:
Information about a person can be considered either personal or private. Personal information, such as age, gender, and favorite activities, is general in nature and can’t be used to identify someone. Private information, however, is much more specific and includes details such as one’s full name, physical address, and contact information. This simple activity from CyberSmart! can help students distinguish between personal and private information and recognize the importance of thinking before sharing.
Students and parents need to be aware of their online footprint, and in an effort to foster some at-home conversations, we asked families to read this article from McAfee and then Google themselves. The results caught many by surprise; most had no idea that a telephone number could lead to a Google Map of their home, or that a social networking profile can produce a lengthy list of one’s friends which in turn can uncover more personal and private information. With patience and good research skills, it’s not difficult to piece together quite a bit about someone, whether they consent or not.
Information, especially private information, should not be shared indiscriminately. In an online environment, however, we often tend to be overly trusting and this can lead to a false sense of security. For adolescents, the concepst of friendship and trust are paramount, and social sites like Facebook are redefining what it means to be “friends”. The story of Kimberly Elliott, a mother from Oakville, MO, clearly illustrates how some teens suspend good judgement when socializing online.
Kimberly bet her 14 year old daughter that she could become friends with her daughter’s buddies on Facebook. Using a ficticious profile (it should be noted that this is a violation of Facebook’s TOS), she amassed 300 friends within 24 hours. As the Post-Dispatch columnist who interviewed Kimberly noted, “In one day, her mom was able to get cell phone numbers, accounts for instant messages and e-mail addresses. She had pictures and videos. The only thing she didn’t have was an address, but she could do a reverse search of the phone number and possibly get that.”
The Internet is often characterized as a dangerous environment, but common sense, self-awareness, and a few simple precautions can go a long way toward ensuring one’s digital security. Students need to think twice before sharing private information, and a periodic Google search can help keep track of digital footprints. Parental involvement is crucial, and while the intricacies on cyberspace may seem daunting, the addage “don’t talk to strangers” has never been more important.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:55 am
Once again, you have found the best and most current articles, and examples of what the web offers on a topic. I thought that the comments at the end of the Elliot article were telling. When I present this topic to parents, I always try to find something about the value of sensible participation in the social media. The mother’s “I told you so, now I am shutting you down” is fodder for those who say that any “education” around these topics is “over-reactionary”
March 26th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Kathy-thanks much! The Elliot article worked really well for us since it was (1) a local story and (2) something they could all relate to. Hopefully more parents get involved and take an active role in social media; it’s hard to help/guide your children when you don’t understand their world!
March 24th, 2010 at 1:47 am
We all pay attention to ourselves a bit better, your posting simply emphasises this.