Online Child Safety

Our children are being raised in a society that is radically different to that of just 20 years ago, as the internet has taken a central place in our lives, and with the virtually universal adoption of smart phones and computers by young people. This revolutionary and enormously disruptive technology has created a completely new set of challenges for parents, ones that are entirely different to those of a generation ago. Keeping Children Safe Online addresses these challenges head-on. The author, John Parsons, is arguably the country¿s leading authority on cyber safety for children. He works all over New Zealand with young people and their parents, showing them how they can stay safe in the online world. He also works as a consultant with the police, teachers and the health sector, and individually with children and their families to help them when things go wrong online. John brings an unparalleled wealth of direct experience to this issue. He has used this to develop a toolbox of highly practical, realistic and effective strategies that enable both children and their parents to deal with the challenges of digital technology, such as maintaining oversight of your child in the digital world, establishing boundaries for acceptable use, and preventing online sexual predation, cyber bullying, and cyber crime. These strategies do not depend on technological know-how ¿ rather, they simply require you to have a clear set of family values, and then to enable your child to broadcast these into the online world. Keeping Children Safe Online is a hugely significant and ultimately empowering book that is essential reading for any modern parent.

As internet use is extending to younger children, there is an increasing need for research focus on the risks young users are experiencing, as well as the opportunities, and how they should cope. With expert contributions from diverse disciplines and a uniquely cross-national breadth, this timely book examines the prospect of enhanced opportunities for learning, creativity and communication set against the fear of cyberbullying, pornography and invaded privacy by both strangers and peers. Based on an impressive in-depth survey of 25,000 children carried out by the EU Kids Online network, it offers wholly new findings that extend previous research and counter both the optimistic and the pessimistic hype. It argues that, in the main, children are gaining the digital skills, coping strategies and social support they need to navigate this fast-changing terrain. But it also identifies the struggles they encounter, pinpointing those for whom harm can follow from risky online encounters. Each chapter presents new findings and analyses to inform both researchers and students in the social sciences and policy makers in government, industry or child welfare who are working to enhance children's digital experiences.

Educate yourself so that your kids can enjoy the best of the internet and social media without the risks, such as cybercrime, sexting, cyberbullying, phishing, cyberstalking, grooming, nude selfies, and other internet dangers. This practical, go-to guide explains the digital dangers kids might encounter when they use social media, join chats, share selfies, use apps, and explore the internet. How do you educate children and teens about their digital footprint and protect them from trolls, bullies, frenemies, and stalkers? Learn how to set ground rules, encourage them to come to you if they are in trouble, and take action to prevent, minimize, or resolve the damage. International cybersecurity expert Will Geddes provides simple action plans, preventive steps, and no-nonsense answers to the important questions asked by concerned parents Nadia Sawalha and Kaye Adams. Learn to recognize the warning signs so that you can help kids avoid internet dangers and stay safe online.

Digital technology has changed the parenting territory dramatically in recent years. Suddenly we've been tasked with preparing kids to be safe, happy and successful, not just in the real world, but in the online world as well. Martine Oglethorpe is part of a new breed of parenting educator who nimbly stays abreast of technology changes while keeping one foot firmly grounded in the timeless ways that make families strong.Martine skilfully combines her professional expertise with the lived experience gained by guiding her own children down the pathway to being skilled, savvy digital citizens. In these pages lies the blueprint for parenting kids in the digital age. It shares how to be engaged in the digital lives of our children without being overbearing or burdensome; to know when to tread lightly as a parent and when care and caution need to be taken.

Essential strategies to keep children and teens safe online As our children and teens race down the onramp to the Information Superhighway, many parents feel left behind in the dust. News stories about online sexual predators, child pornography, cyberbullies, hate groups, gaming addiction, and other dangers that lurk in the online world make us feel increasingly concerned about what our children are doing (and with whom) in cyberspace. In Cyber-Safe Kids, Cyber-Savvy Teens, Internet safety expert Nancy Willard provides you with need-to-know information about those online dangers, and she gives you the practical parenting strategies necessary to help children and teens learn to use the Internet safely and responsibly. Parents protect younger children by keeping them in safe places, teaching them simple safety rules, and paying close attention. As children grow, we help them gain the knowledge, skills, and values to make good choices--choices that will keep them safe and show respect for the rights of others. In Cyber-Safe Kids, Cyber-Savvy Teens, Willard shows you how those same strategies can be translated from the real world to the cyberworld, and that you don't have to learn advanced computer skills to put them into effect. As you work on these strategies with your child, you will also discover that remaining engaged with what your children are doing online is much more valuable than any blocking software you could buy. "Willard blends the perspectives of a wise parent and a serious scholar about issues related to Internet behavior and safety. . . . Pick up the book, open it to any random page, and you will find on that page or nearby a wealth of helpful advice and useful commentary on the cyberreality facing our children and on how to deal with any of the issues she's identified." --Dick Thornburgh, J.D., former U.S. Attorney General; chair, National Academy of Sciences Committee on Youth Pornography and the Internet "Simply put, this book is a must-read for anyone--parents, educators, law enforcement, and policymakers alike--concerned with the critical issue of children's internet safety and what to do about it." --Douglas Levin, senior director of education policy, Cable in the Classroom

Is your child safe online? Do you know what information they access on a daily basis? The chances are that you are like most parents and the answer is 'no' or, at best, 'I'm not sure'. These days, our kids are more internet-savvy than we are - they know how to unblock privacy settings or get around simple parental controls. Yet more and more frequently there are stories in the news about children being victims of internet crime; whether through Facebook party invites, cyber-bullying or, worse, child grooming. But what can we do about it? As parents, we have a duty to understand the different media our children use and put in place boundaries and guidelines to protect them. Is Your Child Safe Online? has the practical advice you need to minimise the risk and ensure your child is protected today...whilst still letting them do their homework. Covering all forms of new media - iPhones, apps, iPads, twitter, gaming online - as well as social networking sites - Is Your Child Safe Online? keeps you informed of the dangers and reassures with simple, straightforward advice. It arms you with practical methods to make sure your child is safe. All your questions answered... * Do children get any guidelines at school on internet use? * How do children use social networks, chatrooms, instant messaging and blogs? * How do I control what my children look at online, or what information they give out? * What are the effects of time spent online on mental health and social life? How do I educate my children on how they can protect themselves against cyber-bullying and grooming? Give yourself peace of mind with Is Your Child Safe Online? - the book that every careful parent should own. The facts speak for themselves: In the last three years, the number of children belonging to a 'virtual world' has increased from 8 million to 20 million. One in five children aged five to seven are accessing the internet without parental supervision. Make sure YOUR child is safe online.

Many youth in the United States have fully integrated the Internet into their daily lives. For them, the Internet is a positive and powerful space for socializing, learning, and engaging in public life. Along with the positive aspects of Internet use come risks to safety, including the dangers of sexual solicitation, online harassment, and bullying, and exposure to problematic and illegal content. The Attorneys General Multi-State Working Group on Social Networking asked this Task Force to determine the extent to which today¿s technologies could help to address these online safety risks, with a primary focus on social network sites in the United States. To answer this question, the Task Force brought together leaders from Internet service providers, social network sites, academia, education, child safety and public policy advocacy organizations, and technology development. The Task Force consulted extensively with leading researchers in the field of youth online safety and with technology experts, and sought input from the public. The Task Force has produced three primary documents: (1) a Literature Review of relevant research in the field of youth online safety in the United States, which documents what is known and what remains to be studied about the issue; (2) a report from its Technology Advisory Board, reviewing the 40 technologies submitted to the Task Force; and (3) this Final Report, which summarizes the Task Force¿s work together, analyzes the previous documents as well as submissions by eight leading social network sites regarding their efforts to enhance safety for minors, and provides a series of recommendations for how to approach this issue going forward. Enhancing Child Safety and Online Technologies contains the Task Force's Final Report and appendices of the Literature Review and the Technology Advisory Board report.