By Helen Kell, Community Broker – Blaenau Gwent.

Understand how you can make surfing safe for the children in your care.

What is internet safety?
Danger to hardware
Danger to oneself
Quality of information
Risk of fraud
How to be safe online
Good practice examples
And finally
Links

As technology plays a bigger part in our lives, just like in the real world, precautions should be taken in the online world.

In many community centres and community organisations, computers are available for people, both young and old, to use. It is important for the groups that own the equipment to know how to be safe online and to ensure that they can teach users to be safe online, particularly those who are under 16.


What is Internet Safety?

The term internet safety is very broad and does not explain what is unsafe about the internet. There are three main areas that users need to be aware of and avoid:
1) Danger to hardware,
2) Danger to oneself, and,
3) Quality of information.


Danger to Hardware

Websites and e-mails can have computer virus and other malicious programmes hidden on them that can effect the operation of your computer. They can sometimes also record what is happening on a computer, including what keystrokes are occurring. It is a wise precaution to never open an e-mail or file that has been sent by a stranger. Listed below are links that discuss virus and malicious programmes, how to stop them on your machines and what to do if you have one.


Danger to Oneself

People of all ages are more open with one another when using the internet compared to how they react to new people in the real world. Although the majority of people on the internet are friendly and helpful there are people who are not what, or who, they say they are. It’s better not to give out personal details to people over the internet. Consider personal safety when thinking of meeting up with people you have met online. Children should never meet with people they have met on the internet.


Quality of Information

Anyone can put a website on the internet or can say things on message boards. Sometimes it can be hard to distinguish between what is fact and what is opinion.


Risk of fraud

An e-mail from someone pretending to be your bank is known as ‘phishing’. As a general rule, your bank would never ask for your password and secret / personal information in an e-mail.


How to be safe online

The best way for users to deal with all aspects of internet safety is by discussing together what the dangers are, and agreeing how to deal with them.

www.kidsmart.org.uk/ is a website which has leaflets to download aimed at children, parents and teachers on a wide range of internet safety subjects.

Wisekids - www.wisekids.org.uk run training sessions in online safety for groups.


Online Safety - Good Practice examples

Although there is no legal requirement to adhere to internet safety it is good practice to have some or all of the following in place.

• Internet Safety Software such as Net Nanny and Cyber Patrol. This allows the administrator of the computer room to limit access to areas of the internet for different users or groups.

• Adult supervision in the computer room. When the suite is being used by adults, one volunteer or member of staff is adequate to help if something unexpected comes up, such as anti virus alerts or strange e-mails. If children or young people are using the room, then it is better to follow child supervision policies and have extra adults in accordance with the number / age of children.

• Have a robust and up-to-date acceptable use policy. What is appropriate viewing for one person might not be for another and everyone has to use the equipment. Therefore having a set of rules that everyone has to agree to before they use the equipment, lets everyone know what is considered appropriate behaviour. For more information see the Communities @One Guide to acceptable use policies.

• Make it a requirement for all children and young people under the age of 16 to have a signed consent form from their parent or guardian before they are able to use the equipment.

The above points will help to minimise the risk to the user and the equipment, especially if combined with training.


And Finally….

As with all aspects of technology, communicating through the internet is developing and changing fast. It is important for groups to keep up with the changes and to be aware what people are using their equipment for. The best ways to do this are to talk to users and find out.


Links

Further Information on Child Safety on the Internet can be found at;

www.bbc.co.uk/chatguide/

www.wisekids.org.uk/

www.kidsmart.org.uk/

www.getsafeonline.org/

www.nspcc.org.uk/helpandadvice/parentsandcarers/safesurfing/safesurfing_wda35959.html

www.childline.org.uk/Safesurfing.asp

www.thinkuknow.co.uk/

www.chatdanger.com/

www.nch.org.uk/information/index.php?i=134


Last updated: October 2007