Safety in Cyberspace

How much do you know about the electronic gadgets that made their way into your children’s lives over Christmas?
 
Every day children and young people use mobile phones, MP3 and DVD players, televisions, personal computers and game consoles. Much of it has been bought by parents or relatives as Christmas presents or for the new school year. They are becoming standard furniture in many bedrooms.

So what do parents know – or need to know – about the technology their children use?

Constant changes, mind boggling jargon and children’s aptitude can leave many parents behind, lurching between fear   and resignation towards technology.
 
Yet you wouldn’t leave your child with strangers or let them play in an unsafe environment without supervision. But parents sometimes treat technology as they treat sex education: waiting for their children to bring up issues. The problem with this approach is that, once children are a certain age — and much younger than most parents think — they won’t ask. They simply go elsewhere.

Everyone wants their child to have fun with technology and not be left behind. Responsible parenting means keeping up with developments, staying in touch with how children use technology, helping them manage the challenges and protecting them from the risks.

Different technologies bring different risks. Children can be subjected to online bullying, fraud or identity theft. They may unwittingly run up huge internet or phone bills, gambling or credit card debts. Home or office computers can be exposed to damaging viruses. Young health and fitness can be compromised through inactivity, poor ergonomics and exposure to chemicals, the effects of which may be hidden but long term. Recent studies suggest that the simple presence of electronic devices in children’s bedrooms is enough to reduce sleep and disturb sleep patterns.

What can parents do?

Stay in touch with the issues. Learn about the technologies your children are using now and those they are not yet using. Read up, talk to other parents about their rules. Consider what is reasonable to expect from your child at different ages. Research shows children’s usage patterns change with age and skill. As their competency and the range of available technologies expand, parents need to keep pace too. There are some excellent resources and research that help parents do just that.
To get in early start with your own online research:

• www.thinkuknow.com.au –  explains and gives tips on risks and protections for all sorts of electronic media including mobile phones, blogs, social networking sites and gaming devices. An excellent site for schools, parents and young people adapted from the UK by the Australian Federal Police.
• www.cybersmartkids.gov.au — information aimed at different ages from very young children to teens, parents and teachers about staying safe online.
• www.staysmartonline.gov.au — a government information site for all online users with up to date alerts and information about everything from online banking to virus protection, avoiding scammers to small businesses tools.  Jargon is explained at http://www.staysmartonline.gov.au/glossary.
• www.acma.gov.au — for information on government regulation and consumer information start with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the government agency responsible for the regulation of broadcasting, the internet, radio and telecommunications. Click publications and research to see what parents and children say about their use of technology and communication devices.
• Bravehearts — talks directly to young people and gives tips on what to watch for, guard against and how to enjoy electronic media. Has sensible advice for children and parents about managing cyber safety.

All members of your family can have fun while staying safe using communication tools. But don’t wait to be asked. By the time your children seek your help it may be too late.

Technology tips for young people

Follow a few simple rules for using the internet and other technologies. Young people and children should:

• Never give out personal details – their own or other people’s name, address, telephone or mobile phone numbers, school details or holiday plans
• Never send photographs to anyone
• Never reveal credit card, bank or other financial details
• Never arrange to meet up with someone they’ve ‘met’ online
• Never talk to anyone who is unpleasant, makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable
• Always tell a parent or trusted adult if they are disturbed or worried by anything online

Technology tips for parents

• Learn about the different technologies your children and their friends are using — whether it’s texting on mobile phones, using internet chat rooms, social network sites and instant messaging
• Spend time with your children using technology. Teach them social skills (or ‘netiquette’), help them find good resources and show them how to use the internet for research
• Install software on all home computers to protect your family’s privacy and prevent viruses, scammers and other online nasties. If you don’t know where to begin, try the government’s stay smart online site www.staysmartonline.gov.au or talk to a reputable electronic or computer retailer
• Keep computers in an easily supervised area — the kitchen, family or living room — and consider disabling the internet on any bedroom computers. Children and young people can still do many homework and study tasks without being connected to the internet. When they need to be online, let them access the internet in a family area.
• Watch for signs of trouble — if your child seems disturbed or unhappy during or immediately after using technology, talk to them about it. They may have been exposed to violent or sexually explicit material or had disturbing contact with someone online.