Online Safety for Children

[W4ETE]

Hello everyone,

I was prompted to write this after reading about the concern expressed in the "Calling All 18 and under Generals or Extras!" thread. To start, I am almost 38, and I got my Technician Class on September 11, 2006. I also have four children, three of them daughters.

I recently left the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), where I investigated computer crimes against the Navy and by Naval personnel (to include the Marine Corps in both accounts). I have seen, first hand, some of society's dark side when it comes to crimes against children. Unfortunately, most of these crimes never make it into the news.

From the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Safety Web Site: http://www.fbi.gov/kids/k5th/safety2.htm

Quote[/b] ]There are some very important things that you need to keep in mind when you're on your computer at home or at school.

* First, remember never to give out personal information such as your name, home address, school name, or telephone number in a chat room or on bulletin boards. Also, never send a picture of yourself to someone you chat with on the computer without your parent's permission.

* Never write to someone who has made you feel uncomfortable or scared.

* Do not meet someone or have them visit you without the permission of your parents.

* Tell your parents right away if you read anything on the Internet that makes you feel uncomfortable.

* Remember that people online may not be who they say they are. Someone who says that "she" is a "12-year-old girl" could really be an older man.

From the United States Naval Program "SAFEKIDS" presentation:
Web site: http://www.ncis.navy.mil/info/safekids.asp
Presentation: http://www.ncis.navy.mil/downloads/safekids.ppt

Quote[/b] ]Objectives: What is This Program About?
* Ethics, personal responsibility, and privacy
* Internet awareness
* What do you do if….?

Why are We Concerned?
* Inappropriate material on-line
* Harassment, stalking, threats, and other scary things
* Your privacy is important!
* Exploring the Internet can be just as fun (or dangerous) as exploring a new land
Just because criminals are on the Internet is no reason to stop "surfing"

PRIVACY, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILTY, AND ETHICS

Privacy: What Information Should be Private?
* Your name
* Your telephone number
* Name of your school
* Where your school is
* Your grades
* How much money you have in the bank

Invasion of Computer Privacy
* Like being invisible
* Call school computers from home and change information
* Look at or change grades
* Make computers stop working or put viruses in the system

Invasion of Computer Privacy
* Keep your information private when you are on-line
* Just as you can be invisible on the computer, others can be invisible too!
* Never put private or very personal information in e-mail
* Threatening or harassing someone by e-mail is against the law

Personal Responsibility: Thinking About a Home Page?
* Does everyone who puts a page on the Internet get stalked, harassed, or worse?
* Of course not. Think about what you are doing before you make a mistake
Also ...
Before you put a home page on the web:
* Think carefully about what you will include
* Consider all the facts before posting photos

Personal Responsibility: Make Sure to Talk to Your Mom or Dad Before You ...
* Give personal information, your name, home address, or phone number
* Agree to meet face to face with an Internet acquaintance
* Agree to keep a secret with someone on the Internet
* Send your picture

Personal Responsibility: Make Sure to Talk to Your Mom or Dad Before You ...
* Respond to on-line offers
* Be careful about people wanting to see you at home
* Respond to suggestive or mean messages
* It's better to just block or avoid them
* Personal Responsibility

<span style='color:red'>Remember ... if you don&#39;t want everyone in the world knowing something about you, don&#39;t put it on the Internet</span>

Ethics: How Kids Can Get (themselves) in Trouble
* Making copies of software without paying for it
* Making false documents, such as driver&#39;s licenses, on home computers
* Taking credit for another&#39;s work
* Using your parents&#39; (or someone else&#39;s) credit cards without permission
* Computer intrusions (hacking)

Ethics: Software Piracy
* Freeware: copyrighted. Can be distributed without advance payment, but a donation is requested if used
* Shareware: copyrighted. Can be distributed without advance payment, but there is an expectation of payment if used
* Licensed Software: copyrighted. Expectation of payment prior to use
* Public Domain: not copyrighted. Can be copied and distributed freely

Ethics: Software Piracy - Bottom Line?
If it costs money to get and you take it without paying for it, it&#39;s stealing and it against the law

INTERNET AWARENESS

Viruses
* Always check for viruses before executing programs downloaded from the Internet
* Don&#39;t put software on your computer of you don&#39;t know where it came from
* Download files to a disk and scan them BEFORE you look at them

Chat Rooms
* They are areas where people can &quot;meet&quot; on-line and exchange information, ideas, and conversation
* As the cost of participation, some sites require kids to provide information such as name, address, e-mail, and information on family &amp; friends and likes/dislikes
* There are some chat rooms where people can talk &quot;anonymously&quot; and say what they choose ...

Information on the Internet: Fact or Fiction?
* Remember, just because something is on the Internet does not make it true&#33;
* You should always check information found on the Internet, especially if you&#39;re researching topics that will affect you personally, such as: sex, drugs, contraception and health concerns

Consider the Source:
* Some Web Sites are More Reliable Than Others

WHAT DO YOU DO IF ... ? What if You Get Something Unpleasant Over the Net?

Unpleasant could mean ...
* A threatening e-mail
* Gross or disgusting pictures
* Plans or discussions of violence in a school or neighborhood

Also ...
Do not forward to other people or reply to e-mails that ask you questions like:
* Full name? Nicknames? DOB? Hair color? Eye color? Personality? Siblings? Best Friends? Favorite sport? Etc...
If you get an e-mail like this ...
* DON&#39;T answer it
* DON&#39;T forward it
* DO send it to us at safekids@ncis.navy.mil

What Should You Do?
* Tell your Mom, Dad, teacher, or another responsible adult right away
* Don&#39;t delete anything that came from the person who sent it to you
* Send us an e-mail at the address below
* Make sure to tell us who you are, where you are, and what the problem is.

safekids@ncis.navy.mil (For use by USN and USMC families)

What Will We Do?
* We will read your e-mail and ...
* Let you know that we got it
* Forward it to the right people where you live
* Remember, be safe on-line&#33;

Please don&#39;t get me wrong. This web site is great&#33; The truth is that there are people out there that mean to do kids harm. With our license information publicly available, finding an adress for a call sign is very easy. Giving out age and school information can make it very easy for preditors to know too much information.

I encourage all parents consider using PO Box addresses for licensee addresses of all Ops under 18. Personally, I consider it a cheap form of insurance. (I recommend the same for single, female Ops.)

This is a great hobby, there is a lot to learn and share, but I don&#39;t want to see anyone get hurt.

My hat is off to everyone under 18 who has their license&#33; Great job&#33;

73,
Matt W4ETE

[NE6AO]

Quote[/b] (W4ETE @ Oct. 15 2006,11:25)]Hello everyone,

I was prompted to write this after reading about the concern expressed in the &quot;Calling All 18 and under Generals or Extras&#33;&quot; thread. #To start, I am almost 38, and I got my Technician Class on September 11, 2006. #I also have four children, three of them daughters.

I recently left the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), where I investigated computer crimes against the Navy and by Naval personnel (to include the Marine Corps in both accounts). #I have seen, first hand, some of society&#39;s dark side when it comes to crimes against children. #Unfortunately, most of these crimes never make it into the news.

From the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Safety Web Site: http://www.fbi.gov/kids/k5th/safety2.htm

Quote[/b] ]There are some very important things that you need to keep in mind when you&#39;re on your computer at home or at school.

# #* First, remember never to give out personal information such as your name, home address, school name, or telephone number in a chat room or on bulletin boards. Also, never send a picture of yourself to someone you chat with on the computer without your parent&#39;s permission.

# #* Never write to someone who has made you feel uncomfortable or scared.

# #* Do not meet someone or have them visit you without the permission of your parents.

# #* Tell your parents right away if you read anything on the Internet that makes you feel uncomfortable.

# #* Remember that people online may not be who they say they are. Someone who says that &quot;she&quot; is a &quot;12-year-old girl&quot; could really be an older man.

From the United States Naval Program &quot;SAFEKIDS&quot; presentation:
Web site: http://www.ncis.navy.mil/info/safekids.asp
Presentation: http://www.ncis.navy.mil/downloads/safekids.ppt

Quote[/b] ]Objectives: #What is This Program About?
* Ethics, personal responsibility, and privacy
* Internet awareness
* What do you do if….?

Why are We Concerned?
* Inappropriate material on-line
* Harassment, stalking, threats, and other scary things
* Your privacy is important&#33;
* Exploring the Internet can be just as fun (or dangerous) as exploring a new land
Just because criminals are on the Internet is no reason to stop &quot;surfing&quot;

PRIVACY, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILTY, AND ETHICS

Privacy: What Information Should be Private?
* Your name
* Your telephone number
* Name of your school
* Where your school is
* Your grades
* How much money you have in the bank

Invasion of Computer Privacy
* Like being invisible
* Call school computers from home and change information
* Look at or change grades
* Make computers stop working or put viruses in the system

Invasion of Computer Privacy
* Keep your information private when you are on-line
* Just as you can be invisible on the computer, others can be invisible too&#33;
* Never put private or very personal information in e-mail
* Threatening or harassing someone by e-mail is against the law

Personal Responsibility: Thinking About a Home Page?
* Does everyone who puts a page on the Internet get stalked, harassed, or worse?
* Of course not. #Think about what you are doing before you make a mistake
Also ...
Before you put a home page on the web:
* Think carefully about what you will include
* Consider all the facts before posting photos

Personal Responsibility: Make Sure to Talk to Your Mom or Dad Before You ...
* Give personal information, your name, home address, or phone number
* Agree to meet face to face with an Internet acquaintance
* Agree to keep a secret with someone on the Internet
* Send your picture

Personal Responsibility: Make Sure to Talk to Your Mom or Dad Before You ...
* Respond to on-line offers
* Be careful about people wanting to see you at home
* Respond to suggestive or mean messages
* It&#39;s better to just block or avoid them
* Personal Responsibility

<span style='color:red'>Remember ... if you don&#39;t want everyone in the world knowing something about you, don&#39;t put it on the Internet</span>

Ethics: How Kids Can Get (themselves) in Trouble
* Making copies of software without paying for it
* Making false documents, such as driver&#39;s licenses, on home computers
* Taking credit for another&#39;s work
* Using your parents&#39; (or someone else&#39;s) credit cards without permission
* Computer intrusions (hacking)

Ethics: Software Piracy
* Freeware: copyrighted. #Can be distributed without advance payment, but a donation is requested if used
* Shareware: copyrighted. #Can be distributed without advance payment, but there is an expectation of payment if used
* Licensed Software: copyrighted. #Expectation of payment prior to use
* Public Domain: not copyrighted. #Can be copied and distributed freely

Ethics: #Software Piracy - Bottom Line?
If it costs money to get and you take it without paying for it, it&#39;s stealing and it against the law

INTERNET AWARENESS

Viruses
* Always check for viruses before executing programs downloaded from the Internet
* Don&#39;t put software on your computer of you don&#39;t know where it came from
* Download files to a disk and scan them BEFORE you look at them

Chat Rooms
* They are areas where people can &quot;meet&quot; on-line and exchange information, ideas, and conversation
* As the cost of participation, some sites require kids to provide information such as name, address, e-mail, and information on family &amp; friends and likes/dislikes
* There are some chat rooms where people can talk &quot;anonymously&quot; and say what they choose ...

Information on the Internet: Fact or Fiction?
* Remember, just because something is on the Internet does not make it true&#33;
* You should always check information found on the Internet, especially if you&#39;re researching topics that will affect you personally, such as: sex, drugs, contraception and health concerns

Consider the Source:
* Some Web Sites are More Reliable Than Others

WHAT DO YOU DO IF ... ? #What if You Get Something Unpleasant Over the Net?

Unpleasant could mean ...
* A threatening e-mail
* Gross or disgusting pictures
* Plans or discussions of violence in a school or neighborhood

Also ...
Do not forward to other people or reply to e-mails that ask you questions like:
* Full name? #Nicknames? DOB? Hair color? Eye color? Personality? Siblings? Best Friends? Favorite sport? Etc...
If you get an e-mail like this ...
* DON&#39;T answer it
* DON&#39;T forward it
* DO send it to us at safekids@ncis.navy.mil

What Should You Do?
* Tell your Mom, Dad, teacher, or another responsible adult right away
* Don&#39;t delete anything that came from the person who sent it to you
* Send us an e-mail at the address below
* Make sure to tell us who you are, where you are, and what the problem is.

safekids@ncis.navy.mil (For use by USN and USMC families)

What Will We Do?
* We will read your e-mail and ...
* Let you know that we got it
* Forward it to the right people where you live
* Remember, be safe on-line&#33;

Please don&#39;t get me wrong. #This web site is great&#33; #The truth is that there are people out there that mean to do kids harm. #With our license information publicly available, finding an adress for a call sign is very easy. #Giving out age and school information can make it very easy for preditors to know too much information.

I encourage all parents consider using PO Box addresses for licensee addresses of all Ops under 18. #Personally, I consider it a cheap form of insurance. #(I recommend the same for single, female Ops.)

This is a great hobby, there is a lot to learn and share, but I don&#39;t want to see anyone get hurt.

My hat is off to everyone under 18 who has their license&#33; #Great job&#33;

73,
Matt W4ETE

Hey ,thanks for the badly needed post and proper procedures ,and that a Fed is watching over the kids .I also had 3 girls and a boy, but not when I had a computer.
Just recently got a laptop abt 5mths ago.I rarely go here on the kids net.your post and one a few mths ago caught my eye.At that time I made known to a particular post I read that,who ever they were ,they&#39;d better not be some one who was tryin to do any thing here that was not above board,,.I shared that I had raised my kids after I got Divorced and so my parental instincts got triggerd hi hi.Turns out it was a young lass who was getting up to speed,so I said ok didnt mean to give her a hard time.Im a grandpa now so my kids are all doing real good ,expecting two more grandkids on the way.My adopted kid bro is a Fed and so I got nothin but highest respect for your job and so thanks for your oversite.73&#39;sTom NE6AO

[KB1LQC]

Well,
Its great to see this post, I wish I could make it a sticky. I do agree that there needs to be precautions taken, and its an all around responsability. Well, One way my family did it was that we had one computer in the house that was in the dining room/ kitchen so nothing was hidden. Great way to keep tabs, its not the case anyomore since were both 17 and going onto 18 come June...

I would just like to add as well that the intensity of the reply post made by one of the members was rather too much and the member should have handled the situation differently.

[W8LBO]

Good advice.

[WS2L]

W4ETE,

Even though you posted this some months ago I would like to thank you for posting it. I am retired from NJ Law Enforcement and have dealt first hand with the type of individuals who would take advantage of youth forums for their personal sick desires. I think what you have posted is a &quot;MUST READ&quot; for not only members who are under 18 but also into their early 20&#39;s. The issue of online stalkers on any website is a very big concern to me and I like to think I take a proactive stance and attempt to take care of issues before they become problems.

Any member under the age of 21 should be extremely cautious as to how much information you give out about yourself on the internet. If you are being harassed by anyone either in open forums, Private Message or email I strongly urge you to contact a Moderator. Do not feel that you are bothering anyone as we take issues like this very seriously. Enjoy the forum and on the air QSO&#39;s but most of all do not take any chances, do not post anything into open forums that you do not want to be known about you.

73&#39;s
Dave......WS2L

[KD6NIG]

Better advice:

All use of the internet by children should be supervised by parents. Kids shouldn&#39;t sign up for anything or place anything personal online without parental guidance.

Period, the end.

There would be a lot less trouble if the computer wasn&#39;t a babysitter. It has replaced the Television.

Parents need to be more involved in their childrens online activities. &quot;I trust my kid&quot; doesn&#39;t work on the current online environment.

Kids need to know their parents are going to check on them and supervise their internet usage.

Good advice, but parental involvement needs to increase dramatically.

[W4ETE]

Your welcome to everyone saying or thinking &#39;thank you&#39;...

KD6NIG - I agree that parental supervision is important; however, its not always as practical as some might think. I believe that teaching the kids, sometime over and over and over again, is a normal part of parenting. Even though my oldest daughter is nearly 13 now, she is still learning. (Knowing that I have a website and key stroke logger installed does help her to remember to be good most of the time.)

73,
Matt W4ETE

[KD6NIG]

Quote[/b] (W4ETE @ Mar. 14 2007,12:25)]Your welcome to everyone saying or thinking &#39;thank you&#39;...

KD6NIG - I agree that parental supervision is important; however, its not always as practical as some might think. I believe that teaching the kids, sometime over and over and over again, is a normal part of parenting. Even though my oldest daughter is nearly 13 now, she is still learning. (Knowing that I have a website and key stroke logger installed does help her to remember to be good most of the time.)

73,
Matt W4ETE

Thats exactly what I mean by more parental supervision. Saying you&#39;re going to monitor doesn&#39;t do anything. Actively doing it and making sure the child knows said monitoring is occuring is a very good way of ensuring no problems.

That, and telling the child that any attempt to circumvent the program means instant banning from the computer.

Active involvement is the key. I&#39;ve had a few relatives tell me they install the program and it does nothing, yet fail to notice the &#39;program terminated&#39; and &#39;program restarted&#39; items in the log. If the child shuts the program down, it doesn&#39;t work very well.

Intervention is the key.

[k0dxc]

So, being above a tech this doesn&#39;t apply to me?

[KG6VGR]

I agree. Parents need to be more involved with their children. I am a new mother of a 8 month old. when my child becomes of an age that, they will use the computer, she will be watched. Children, honestly do not grasp the danger(s), they believe it won't happen to them. My husband knows this is the case aswell

KG6VGR