Internet/Cell Phone Safety: Protecting Our Kids

1. Internet/Cell Phone Safety: Protecting Our Kids Kimberly Guerrazzi Central Michigan University – EDU 653

2. Outline • Internet as an educational tool • Cyberbullying • Texting for Dummies • Criminal Law & Michigan Penal Code • Questions & Answers

3. Technology Galore • As of September 2009, 93% of American teens between the ages of 12 and 17 went online, a number that has remained stable since November 2006. In comparison, adults are less likely than teens to be online.  As of December 2009, 74% of adults use the internet. (Lenhart, 2010) • Some 75% of American teens ages 12-17 have a cell phone. (Lenhart, 2010)

4. Students Actually Use the Internet for Education New research released by the National School Boards Association reveals data showing we all might need to reevaluate our assumptions: It turns out kids are actually using the Internet for educational purposes. In fact, according to the study, "Creating & Connecting: Research and Guidelines on Online Social--and Educational--Networking," the percentage of children specifically discussing schoolwork online outpaces the percentage that spend time downloading music.

5. Students Actually Use the Internet for Education Sample: 1,277 9- to 17-year-olds, 1,039 parents, and 250 school district leaders Source: NSBA Study: “Creating & Connecting: Research and Guidelines on Online Social-and Educational-Networking.” July 2007

6. Students Actually Use the Internet for Education Further, these students are spending almost as much time on the Internet visiting websites and social networking services (nine hours per week for teens) as they spend watching television (10 hours). A full 96 percent of students surveyed responded that they use the Internet for social networking purposes, including Facebook, MySpace, Webkins, and Nick.com chat. Seventy-one percent said they use these services at least on a weekly basis. Source: NSBA Study: “Creating & Connecting: Research and Guidelines on Online Social-and Educational-Networking.” July 2007

7. Students Actually Use the Internet for Education Source: NSBA Study: “Creating & Connecting: Research and Guidelines on Online Social-and Educational-Networking.” July 2007

8. Cyber bullying The National Crime Prevention Council's definition of cyber-bullying is "when the Internet, cell phones or other devices are used to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person. Cyberbullying is a problem that affects almost half of all American teens. “ (NCPC, 2010) Images from Microsoft ClipArt

9. Bullying Versus Cyber bullying • With cyber bullying, there isn’t physical violence. However, cyber bullying may lead down that path. • Research has shown that cyber bullying has longer lasting and detrimental effects. • Virtually everyone has been a victim of bullying at some point in their life. And think about the impact it had on you. Bullying had short-term side effects. In a week, you may have forgotten about the whole situation. • With cyberbullying, it is different. Hurtful words written in online blogs do not disappear. Provocative pictures that a fellow classmate has created of you and posted on the web will continue being downloaded from computer to computer or forwarded from cell phone to cell phone. You cannot hide yourself from it.

10. Examples: • A web site about teenager David Knight of Burlington, Ontario had been active for several months before a classmate told him about it. "I went there and sure enough there's my photo on this web site saying 'Welcome to the web site that makes fun of Dave Knight' and just pages of hateful comments directed at me and everyone in my family." Whoever created the web site asked others to join in, posting lewd, sexual comments and smearing David's reputation. "I was accused of being a pedophile. I was accused of using the date rape drug on little boys," says David. Along with the web site, there were nasty e-mails too. "Here's an e-mail, 'You're gay, don't ever talk again, no one likes you, you're immature and dirty, go wash your face.' • Amanda Marcuson, 14, of Birmingham, Michigan, reported some girls in her eighth-grade class for stealing a pencil case filled with makeup that belonged to her. As soon as she got home, the instant messages started popping up on her computer screen. She was a tattletale and a liar, they said. Shaken, she typed back, ''You stole my stuff!'' She was a ''stuck-up bitch,'' came the instant response in the box on the screen, followed by a series of increasingly ugly insults. That evening, Amanda went to a basketball game with her family. But the barrage of electronic insults did not stop. Like a lot of other teenagers, Amanda has her Internet messages automatically forwarded to her cell phone, and by the end of the game she had received 50 - the limit of its capacity. ''It seems like people can say a lot worse things to someone online than when they're actually talking to them,'' said Amanda. The girls never said another word to her in person. (Jackson, 2005)

11. Cyber Bullying Statistics • 42% of kids have been bullied while online. 1 in 4 have had it happen more than once. • 35% of kids have been threatened online. Nearly 1 in 5 have had it happen more than once. • 21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mail or other messages. • 58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than 4 out of 10 say it has happened more than once. • 53% of kids admit having said something mean or hurtful to another person online. More than 1 in 3 have done it more than once. • 58% have not told their parents or an adult about something mean or hurtful that happened to them online. Based on 2004 i-SAFE survey of 1,500 students grades 4-8 (i-Safe, 2004)

12. Cyber Bullying Tips • Tell a trusted adult about the bullying, and keep telling until the adult takes action. • Don’t open or read messages by cyber bullies. • Tell your school if it is school related. Schools have a bullying solution in place. • Don’t erase the messages—they may be needed to take action. • Protect yourself—never agree to meet with the person or with anyone you meet online. • If bullied through chat or instant messaging, the “bully” can often be blocked. • If you are threatened with harm, inform the local police. Based on 2004 i-SAFE survey of 1,500 students grades 4-8 (i-Safe, 2004)

13. GR8 Great IDTS I don’t think so IRMC I rest my case LOL Laugh out loud Texting For Dummies 4COL For Crying Out Loud BTW By the Way G/F Girlfriend G2CU Good to see you

14. TMI Too much information TSTB The sooner the better U You UR You Are Texting For Dummies, cont. NBD No big deal NOYB None of your business RME Rolling my eyes ROFL Rolling on the floor laughing

15. Criminal Law The following are examples of cyber bullying that are classified under criminal law: Threats of violence Obscene telephone calls Stalking Child pornography But how can victims of cyber bullying tell who is behind the computer screen or cellphone? Images from Microsoft Clip Art

16. Michigan Penal Code • Section 750.145a. Accosting, enticing or soliciting child for immoral purpose: • Distribution of any child sexually abusive material – guilty of a felony punishable by 7 years imprisonment and a fine of $50,000. • Possession of child sexually abusive material – guilty of a felony punishable by 4 years imprisonment and a fine of $10,000. • Subpoena phone records, chat logs. (Michigan Legislature, 2002)

17. Child Solicitation Statistics • Approximately one in seven youth online (10 to 17-years-old) received a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet. • Four percent (4%) received an aggressive sexual solicitation - a solicitor who asked to meet them somewhere; called them on the telephone; or sent them offline mail, money, or gifts. • Thirty-four percent (34%) had an unwanted exposure to sexual material -- pictures of naked people or people having sex. • Twenty-seven percent (27%) of the youth who encountered unwanted sexual material told a parent or guardian. If the encounter was defined as distressing - episodes that made them feel very or extremely upset or afraid - forty-two percent (42%) told a parent or guardian. (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 2006)

18. The “It can’t happen here” mentality • Sometimes good kids make bad choices… • Don’t assume what is sent is private and can’t be forwarded or edited. • “Techno Toughness!”

19. More monitors, less bullies

20. Conclusion • Communicate with your children, discuss consequences • Be aware of the computers your kids are using, keep them in a public area. If they shut the computer when you enter the room – be suspicious. • Let children show you what they can do online, visit their favorite sites. Check the Internet history. • Ensure your kids keep their identity private, and they remember who they are talking to may not be who they state they are. • Limit/monitor texting, check text logs & photos. • Love your kids. It is a whole lot different growing up today.

21. Questions? “There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.” -Machiavelli, The Prince

22. References • Social Media and Young Adults. Lenhart, Amanda; Purcell, Kristen; Smith, Aaron; and Kathryn Zickuhr. Pew Internet and American Life Project. February 2010. Retrieved 10-29-10. • CREATING & CONNECTING - Research and Guidelines on Online Social — and Educational — Networking. National School Boards Association. July 2007. Retrieved 10-29-10. • Cyberbullying. Jackson, Drew. April 2005. Retrieved 10-30-10. • Cyberbullying. National Crime Prevention Council. Retrieved 10-29-10. • Cyber Bulling: Statistics and Tips. i-Safe. 2004 Survey. Retrieved 10-29-10. • Michigan Penal Code (An Excerpt): Act 328 of 1931. Michigan Legislature. Effective June 2002. Retrieved 10-30-10. • Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later. David Finkelhor, Kimberly J. Mitchell, and Janis Wolak. National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 2006, pages 7-8, 33. Retrieved 10-29-10.