Keep  your  students  safe  online!           Mays  2014  

 What does it

look like?

What are the

“restrictions”? What does this app do? What are the dangers?

Instagram  

 

The   only   information   required  when   signing  up   for   Instagram  is  an  email  address  and  desired  username.  

Instagram   is   a   photo   sharing  mobile   app   that’s  (currently)  only  available  on  the  iPhone  and  iPod  Touch.   Users   can   either   upload   a   photo   from  their  device’s   library  or   take  a  photo   right   then  and  there  and  use  Instagram  to  change  the  way  the  photo  looks.  The  user  then  has  the  option  to  simultaneously   upload   this   photo   to   a   number  of  social  networks,   including  Facebook,  Twitter,  Flickr  and  Foursquare,  depending  on  which  ones  they  sync  to  their  Instagram  account.  The  photo  will   also   be   uploaded   to   the   Instagram  community  where  people  can  like  and  comment  on  it.  

The   single   most   important   thing   to  remember   is   that   all   photos   and   comments  are   viewable   by   anyone,   unless   you   set  privacy   otherwise.   This   app   also   allows  “geotagging”  which  is  a  way  to  pinpoint  your  exact   location.   This   obviously   carries  inherent  dangers.  

Facebook  

 

In   its   beginning   days,   a   user  had   to   be   affiliated   with   a  college.   Today,   Facebook   can  be  accessed  by  anyone  with  an  email  address.  Facebook  allows  users   to   report   others   for  improper   usage   or   posting  inappropriate  pictures/language.  

Facebook   connects   people.   They   allow   many  different   forms   of   communication:   posting  messages,   commenting,   private   messaging,  instant   messaging,   joining   groups,   etc.   People  can   post   pictures/videos,   “like”   posts   from  others,  and  can  become  friends  with  anyone  on  Facebook   allowing   them   to   share   information  between  each  other.  Anything  a  person  posts  to  Facebook   can   be   seen   by   anyone   on   their  friends   list,   depending   on   the   privacy   settings  setup  by  the  user.    

With  peer  to  peer  sharing  and  the  ability  to  connect  with  anyone,  Facebook  opens   itself  up  to  contact  and  share  all  kinds  of  sensitive  information.  Fake  profiles  are  very  common  and   easy   to   make,   allowing   people   to  pretend   to   be   others.   This   has   become   the  social   network   of   choice   for   adults,   which  has   led   to   a   decrease   in   popularity   among  teens.  

Ask.fm  

 

While   ask.fm   may   ask   for  information   about   you   to  connect   you   with   others,   it   is  seemingly   available   to   all  people   regardless   of   age.    Accounts   are   based   on  usernames,   or   screen   names,  but  can  be  linked  to  a  person’s  real  name  if  they  choose.  

Individuals   offer   viewers   the   opportunity   to  comment   and   ask   questions.   The   idea   is   that   a  person   signs   in  with   a  username,  not   their   real  name.   So,   a   person   could   say   anything   they  want   to   another   without   them   ever   knowing  who  said  it.  

Hiding   behind   usernames,   people   can   say  pretty   much   anything   they   desire.   In   a  recent   research   study,   the   following   data  has  been  found  about  ask.fm  users:  91%  of  the   12-­‐to-­‐17-­‐year-­‐olds   post   selfies,   91%  share   their   real   name,   60%   state   their  relationship  status,  82%  list  their  birthday,  71%   share   where   they   live   and   go   to  school,  and  20%  post  their  cell  number.  

 

Keep  your  students  safe  online!           Mays  2014  

 Kik  

   

   

Anyone   can   have   an   account.  Though   Kik   makes   it   easy   to  block   other   Kik   users   and  ignore   message   notifications  from   new   people,   they   offer  zero   parental   controls,   leaving  it  up  to  the  child  or  teen  to  set  these   privacy   settings   on   their  own.  

Kik  is  an  instant  messenger  app—think  AIM  chat  or   texting.   The   app   can   replace   a   texting   plan  through   their   cell   provider.   Through   their   data  plan  or  Wi-­‐Fi  connection,  Kik  users  can  send  and  receive   text   messages   and   photos   to   an  individual   on   their   Kik   contact   list.   Instead   of  using   phone   numbers,   each   Kik   member   has   a  username.   This   username   can   be   accompanied  by   a   profile   photo,   but   ultimately   this   is   Kik’s  way  of  creating  a  sense  of  privacy.  

This   app   allows   people   a   method   of   free  texting   through   usernames.   Essentially  anything   that   can   be   done   through   texting  can   be   done   through   Kik.   Teens   are  increasingly   sharing   their   usernames   and  texting  in  a  way  that  is  off  the  record  of  your  phone   company.   Think   of   this   as   another  layer   of   hiding   people   can   have   for  conversations.  

Snapchat  

   

     

While   Snapchat   may   ask   for  information   about   you   to  connect   you   with   others,   it   is  seemingly   available   to   all  people   regardless   of   age.    Accounts   are   based   on   real  names,  not  screen  names.  

Snapchat  is  an  app  that  allows  users  to  take  a  photo  and  share  it  with  someone  for  up  to  10  seconds.  When  the  allotted  time  is  up,  the  

photo  is  permanently  deleted.  If  the  recipient  tries  to  take  a  screenshot  of  the  photo,  the  

sender  is  notified.  However,  partner  apps  have  been  created  to  secretly  screenshot  photos  and  

save  them  in  the  recipient’s  photo  stream.  

This  app  is  a  dream  for  hurtful  language  and  inappropriate   pictures.   Their   privacy   policy  states   that   they  “cannot  guarantee   that   the  message  data  will  be  deleted   in  every  case”  and   “Messages,   therefore   are   sent   at   the  risk  of   the  user”.   So,   theoretically,   if   a   child  were   to   send   an   inappropriate   photo  through   Snapchat,   the   image   could   be  floating   around   on   their   servers   even   after  the   photo   has   been   deleted   from   the  recipient’s  phone.  

Here’s  the  facts:    

The  Children’s  Online  Privacy  Protection  Act  states  that  it  is  unlawful  for  any  person  under  the  age  of  13  to  engage  in  social  networks.  However,  kids  will  always  find  a  way  to  bypass  the  system.  Do  not  turn  a  blind  eye  to  your  student’s  technology  devices.  Keep  computers  in  family  rooms  within  your  house.  One  of  the  best  rules  you  can  institute  in  your  home  is  to  ban  tech  devices  from  your  student’s  bedrooms.  Pfeiffer  research  has  found  that  XX%  of  students  are  using  their  devices  after  their  bedtime  and  staying  up  to  the  early  hours  of  the  morning.  This  obviously  directly  impacts  your  student’s  daily  life  and  we’re  not  just  talking  about  school.  If  your  student.  These  decisions  are  yours  to  make,  but  if  you  feel  your  student  is  ready  to  move  into  the  world  of  social  networking,  be  sure  to  use  their  device’s  built  in  security  features  or  share  a  common  password  with  them  so  that  you  can  access  their  account  at  any  given  time.  Do  not  feel  bad  about  trying  to  protect  your  student  on  the  internet.    

Stay  informed!  

Staying  Safe  Online  -­‐  http://internet-­‐safety.yoursphere.com/2012/09/three-­‐ways-­‐to-­‐keep-­‐tabs-­‐on-­‐your-­‐childs-­‐online-­‐activity/    

10  Must  Know  Tips  for  Social  Networks  -­‐  http://internet-­‐safety.yoursphere.com/2011/09/introducing-­‐your-­‐child-­‐to-­‐social-­‐networking/