Internet SafetyPersonal Safety & Predator

Awareness

How many of you access the Internet? E-mail Chatting Instant Messaging Research Web searching Online videos Games Listening to music Blogging

Who do you talk to on the Internet?

Friends from school Friends from clubs, church groups, etc. Family members Kids your age who you’ve met online

Adults who are strangers???????

The person you are talking to could be

50

NOT

15!Many people use the Internet illegally!

Predators A predator is someone who victimizes

somebody else. They use lies, secrecy, or stealth to get close enough to other people to harm them.

What do predators do online?

Chat

E-Mail Instant messaging

Research

Video

BloggingListen to Music

THE SAME THINGS YOU DO!

Victimization Method #1:

1. Sexual solicitations and approaches: Predators may ask victims to talk about topics of a sexual nature. Even if the victims thinks they want to participate in such conversations, it is still illegal if the predator is an adult and the victim is a minor.

Victimization Method #2:

2. Aggressive sexual solicitation:

The predator moves offline and begins contacting the victim through regular mail, telephone, or in person.

Victimization Method #3:

3. Unwanted exposure to sexual material:

Without seeking or expecting such material, the victim receives inappropriate pictures or videos.

Victimization Method #4:

4. Harrassment:

Threats or offensive material can be sent online to the victim, or posted online for others to see.

Statistics Alaska has the highest per capita Internet

use in the nation (US Census Bureau, 10/31/2005)

One in seven (13%) of youth Internet users received unwanted sexual solicitations in 2006 (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 2006)

More than 1/3 of Internet users saw unwanted sexual material online in 2006 (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 2006)

How do predators stalk their prey? 1. ESTABLISH SIMILAR INTERESTS

They will pretend to like the same things you do, and may even research these topics to impress you.

How do predators stalk their prey? 2. GAIN YOUR TRUST

Predators will try to gain your trust by sympathizing with all your problems and always taking your side. They may buy you things or claim to love you.

How do predators stalk their prey? 3. SURROUND YOU WITH SECRECY

Predators will often ask you to keep your relationship a secret. They will try to convince you that no one else will “understand” your relationship.

What else might predators do? They may send you pictures that make you

feel uncomfortable. This is illegal – please tell a trusted adult!

They may threaten you or your family. Always tell a trusted adult if this happens!

Predators: The Final Goal The ultimate goal of a predator is to meet

you in person.

NEVER agree to meet an online friend in person, even if it is in a public place!!

A word about pictures & video… Don’t trust people you have met online

based on pictures or even web cam images. Pictures can be fraudulent or out of date. Web cam images can be pre-recorded. Police officers have even arrested predators who forced their own children to pose on web cams to trick other teens.

Willing Participant Online friendships can be a lot of fun, but it

takes constant attention to detail to keep your online relationships safe.

Since the internet feels anonymous, trust and intimacy can develop quickly.

It’s easy to forget that online friends are actually strangers.

How can you stay safe online? Be careful of the personal information you

reveal online. You should never give away

Your name

Your friends’ names

agefamily members’ names

Address (city, state, or zip code)

school

mascotSocial security number

Nearby locations

gender

Phone numbers Birth date

hobbies

Staying Safe Online Talk about why it is dangerous to reveal the

following information online: Your sports team number Your team name A school event you plan to attend The date of a concert you plan to attend The name of a shopping center near your home

What does your online profile say about you?

If you wouldn’t want a future employer, college official, or your grandmother reading your profile…

CHANGE IT!

TRUE STORY!Heather Warner was a 26 year old flight attendant

for Alaska Airlines. She was fired in November 2006 after her employer viewed her MySpace page and found it offensive.

“It’s important that our flight attendants act with professionalism,” said a spokesperson for Alaska Airlines.

Whether or not this is fair is irrelevant. It’s legal and it happened!

ALERT! What you put on the Internet stays there

forever! Even after you delete a web page or

personal profile, it can be found with a “cached” search engine.

User Names/Screen Names Make sure your user name doesn’t reveal

personal information

The following slides contain screen names. Decide whether or not they are safe…

Is this screen name safe?

Jessiegirl14

No. It gives a possible first name, gender, and age.

TIPS: remove gender, use a nickname, and use a random string of numbers instead.

Is this screen name safe?

ThunderbirdQB2010

No. It gives a possible school mascot, football player position, and graduation year

Is this screen name safe?

hanshewsarah07

No. It gives a possible school name, first name, and grade.

Is this screen name safe?

jj456

Yes. It does not reveal name, gender, age, or other personal information.

Is this screen name safe?

Anchorage_ski_dude

No. It gives a possible location and hobby, which the predator could use to establish

common interests.

Is this screen name safe?

Partygirl15

No. In addition to giving possible age and gender, it is suggestive and will attract

predators.

A Guide to Passwords Never share or write down your password Don’t create passwords that are easily guessed Create lengthy passwords (at least 8 characters) Passwords should contain a combination of

letters, numbers, and symbols Passwords should not contain personal

information If you think your password has been discovered,

change it immediately!

A Guide to Blogging Be as anonymous as possible Protect your information & control who can read your blog by

using the privacy settings Avoid in-person meetings. Photos: think seriously before posting, and never post

photos that could reveal your identity Check comments regularly. Delete inappropriate comments

rather than responding. Block the author. Be honest about your age. Age limits are set up to protect

you!

from Blogsafety.com

A Guide to Chat Rooms Stay in moderated, age-appropriate chat rooms. Be aware that predators will be posing as kids your age. Remember that private chats aren’t always private. Who might be

lurking on your conversation? Be especially careful not to reveal personal information as you are

chatting. It’s especially difficult to avoid giving indirect information that a predator will eventually piece together.

Never agree to keep secrets with a stranger you meet in a chat room.

Keep online interaction online. Never agree to meet or phone people you meet online.

Chat rooms are one of the most dangerous areas of the Internet – be careful!

Bottom Line: Millions of teens go online every day. Most

are safe. Following the tips and advice we discussed today can help keep you safe too.

Most people agree that the Internet is an amazing place – but you must use it responsibly!