Cyber Bullying

Click here for "Tips for safe surfing cyber safety - a guide for parents and teens"

Helpful links:

http://www.cyberbullying.org/

http://www.cyberbullyhelp.com/

http://www.isafe.org/

http://www.netsmartz.org/

http://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.org/

Basic Rules for teens to follow to prevent Cyber Bullying

1. Never share personal information (pictures,school or town you live in,etc)

2. Never share your screen name or password

3. Never cyber date

4. Never meet or promise to meet someone you only know online

5. Avoid insulting or offensive behavior online

6. Avoid disruptive conduct

7. Do not tolerate harassment of any kind (tell the person to stop and block that person from contacting you, etc.)

8. Do not discuss or encourage illegal activity

9. Tell an adult if you receive unwanted or inappropriate messages or links

10. Tell an adult if you feel uncomfortable in any online discussions

Tips for Adults

1. Recognize that you are a digital immigrant

2. Remember that you are the adult

3. Talk to your kids about their online experiences

4. Teach tech safety

5. Set a good example

6. Create rules and set parameters

7. Monitor your kids' activity

8. Know their screen names and passwords

9. Set up computers in open spaces

10. Continue to work on your own cyber-literacy

Nuggets of Information

1. "The Internet and puberty do not mix." Det. Malinda Wilson, SPD

2. #1 Reason kids don't tell: fear of loss of access

3. What's posted is permanent

4. For digital natives, there are no geographical boundaries

5. 20 - 25% of young people are contacted by a boy/girlfriend between midnight and 5:00 am

6. In a recent study of MySpace, there were no profiles of anyone under 14

7. Bullying is not "just kid stuff"

8. In raw numbers, about 13M kids between 6 and 18 have been bullied online

9. Second Lifers are also the targets of cyber-aggression & ID theft

10. "Griefing" in cyberbullying in cyberspace