Students & Online Safety

Today's connected society poses a number of challenges to parents/guardians as they teach their children how to protect themselves online and in their communities. Following is a collection of resources to help you as you teach your children about protective behaviors. We encourage you to discuss strategies for protective behaviors with your children and employ these resources to aid in the process.

• Facebook Safety for Parents Use this resource to help your teen play it safe online

• Facebook Safety for Teens How you present yourself on Facebook says a lot about who you are—just like what you say and do at school or with your friends. In all public places, online and off, it’s important to represent yourself as the kind of person you want to be. Use this resource to protect yourself in the process.

• Playing and Staying Safe Online

• Google and Common Sense Media have teamed up to create this video of common sense tips and rules for families to help keep their children safe online. Click here to access this video. 
•  Internet Safety and You with Professor Garfield offers guidance for students, parents and teachers to help students protect themselves online.
• OnGuard Online provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industryto help you be on guard against internet fraud, secure your computer and protect your personal information. 
• NetSmartz is affiliated with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. This site provides several resources for parents and students to learn more about protective behaviors online.
  • Netsmartz for Parents
  • Netsmartz for Teens
  • Netsmartz for Kids 
• PBS Frontline hosted a show Growing Up Online. This show is available online and is a valuable resource to help parents understand how students connect with people online and the issues surrounding it. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/kidsonline/

Another valuable resource, for safety and digital literacy, is the PBS Digital Workshops. Learn how to be a better parent, teacher or caregiver to the “digital natives” in your life and gain the knowledge and skills for understanding, analyzing and participating in our technology-infused world. This site houses a collection of resources for Digital Parenting: Protecting and Empowering Kids, Learning in the Digital Age and more.

• The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children houses a collection of resources Parents/Guardians, Law Enforcement Officials, Childcare Providers and more.