7

=Internet Safety =

**What is Cyberbullying?** According to www.stopcyberbullying.org/ "Cyberbullying is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, thereatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones."

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**What is harassment?** To harass someone is "to trouble by repeated attacks, incursions, etc., as in war or hostilities; harry; raid."

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 * Cyberbullying and harassment can lead to committing suicide or even killing each other.**

**Email:** Email is a great way to keep in touch or get in contact with people. It allows you to send messages to anyone all over the world, however there are some things you have to be careful about.Watch out for **identity thefts.** They can steal your identity by hacking your account, or going onto your account if you have left it up.

**Protecting Your Email Account:** One main way to prevent your email account from being hacked is **changing your password** often. Security questions are great when you forget your password but they make hacking an email easy. For example, if you know basic information about that person you might be able to guess their answers. It could be something related to sports, favorite food, TV show, or color.

**Facebook Safety:** First, make your page private! You can also change who can find you in the search spot. Uploading photos is great for many reasons, but you should make them private so only your friends can see. Another important thing to remember is putting your location on Facebook. Lastly, don't over share.

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**Chat Rooms:** Chat rooms are great for keeping in touch with people you know or also meeting new people but they have many negative things too. For example, chat rooms can lead to harassment and cyberbullying. The person you are "chatting" with could gain information from you.

**What is Phishing?** According to www.dictionary.com phishing is "the act of sending an email to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft."

**Identity Thefts:** Identity thefts want your credit card, your purse, and your mail. They want anything they can get a hold of. Identity thefts will make a new bank account using your credit card, they can use your credit card to charge items, and more seriously they could give your name out to the police for a crime.

**Sex Offenders:** There are 3 levels of sex offenders, level 1, 2, and 3.
 * Level 1: A level 1 sex offender is not available to the public.
 * Level 2: A level 2 sex offender is available to the public. The Local Police Department allows them to access the sex offenders information.
 * Level 3: A level 3 sex offender will also be available to the public through the Local Police Department.

If you receive an instant message from someone you don't know, you should ignore it. Don't give out any of your personal information like what school you go to, your address, or your phone number. Ask your parents for permission before you do anything. You may think the person that you are messaging is your "friend" but in reality, anyone could be on the other side of the computer.
 * Instant messaging: **

**How to Protect Your Bank Account Information:**
 * Keep your information private. Don't share any information with anyone.
 * Make sure you review your bank statements.
 * If you have a problem, contact your bank immediately.

A scam is a way that someone can steal your information. People can steal your information through your bank account or email. For example, if someone steals your wallet, or credit card, or sometimes even your mail they have so much of your information. If someone hacks your email they know your personal information and they could read your emails which could have information like your birthday, or your phone number.
 * Scams: **

"Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photographs, primarily between mobile phones." Sexting mainly happens with in teenagers. One reason teens send these pictures is to feel good about themselves or to make someone jealous. Or sometimes they just give in to the question so that person will like them or think they're cool. Sexting is not worth being "cool" or getting someone to like you. There are so many other ways to have fun and feel good about yourself than to send pictures. It is also dangerous because if you are sending them to someone you don't know, they could do anything with that picture. For example, they could put it on the internet for everyone to see. Then, your picture would be up on the internet forever. Don't sext! Stay safe!
 * Sexting: **

**Safety Tips for People of All Ages:** **Under 5:** Believe it or not kids under 5 can experience danger on the internet. For example, most likely you can not read if you are under 5 years old so if they get on the internet they could type in anything by mistake. Pop ups are always flashy and attract attention. if a five year old sees something flashing on the computer it is going to get their attention and they will click on it. That pop up can take you to inappropriate websites as well as give you a virus on your computer. **6 - 12:** Kids that are the age of 6-12 need to be careful about giving out their information. For example, they are not exp erienced with computers yet so they could click on something that asked for a phone number or address.
 * Teens:** Teens need to be careful with chat rooms, and social networking. For example, you should make your facebook page private so only people you are friends with can view your pictures. Chat rooms are dangerous but many teens think they should go on them. In a chat room you can talk to anyone all over the world and most people on chat rooms are dangerous. They will act like your friend until they get your information to harm you. Don't use chat rooms! Be sure to make your facebook page private!
 * 20 somethings:** People in the 20's are normally on online dating websites. If you are on an online dating website you will notice a picture of the person you are talking too. That picture does not have to be of the person behind the computer. For example, there could be a 50 year old man behind the computer and he could go on the internet and find a 23 year old guy and make that his picture. That is dangerous. You have to make sure you know who you are talking to at all times.
 * 50s:** Not comfortable with computers.
 * 70s**: 70 year old people are normally not experienced with the internet so they can experience danger on the internet as well. Most of them don't even know how to turn on a computer let alone browse the web. They could type something in the wrong spot and it could bring them to a different website.


 * How to Stay Safe on the Internet: **
 * 1) Never share your password.
 * 2) Don't send pictures of yourself to someone you are unfamiliar with.
 * 3) Don't believe everything that you see on the Internet because its not all true.
 * 4) Never give out personal information.
 * 5) <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Don't open files or click on pop ups from people you don't know.
 * 6) <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Treat others how you would like to be treated.
 * 7) <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Keep in mind that any information you put on the internet will be there forever.
 * 8) <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Ask for your parents permission.
 * 9) <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Don't go to chat rooms.
 * 10) <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif;">Never do anything you feel uncomfortable doing.

http://www.dictionary.com http://www.protectkids.com/youthsafety/imchatipskids.htm http://www.bbbonline.org/idtheft/protect.asp#1 http://www.fraudguides.com/tips/feb5.asp en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexting http://www.crisisinterventioncenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=147:what-is-sexting&catid=39:teens&Itemid=79
 * Sources:**
 * Sources:**

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