Internet Safety

Internet Safety

Cybersmart Detectives

In 2006 St Helena’s Catholic Primary School WA one of only eight WA primary schools selected to launch a special internet safety activity called Cybersmart Detectives. The activity was so worthwhile that we took part again in 2007. Cybersmart Detectives is an online exercise designed to teach students how to keep safe on the internet particularly when they are using chat rooms. Our students should be acknowledged for the way they conducted themselves and for fully embracing the activity. We are confident that Cybersmart Detectives has raised our students’ awareness about important online safety issues.
Click on this link to hear our students talk about what they are learnt from the activity.

Internet Safety Games
These games highlight the importance of internet safety and give you tips to keep safe on the internet. They are also great fun to play.

Internet Safety - Ages 2 - 7
http://www.nettysworld.com.au/

Internet Safety - Ages 8 - 12
http://www.cyberquoll.com.au/hub.htm

Internet Safety Tips for Parents

Providing a safe environment for kids when they're using the Internet is important to us. Here are some suggestions to make surfing safe for kids:
1. Never give out identifying information over the Internet. Advise your child not to give out any personal information such as surname, telephone number, name or location of their school, address, etc.
2. Never give out Internet or email passwords. Advise your child not to give this sort of information out, even to friends.
3. Help your child think up their own nickname rather than using their real name online, something that is meaningful to them but does not give away personal details. Some examples are "dancing queen", "monster mash", " gremlin", "GIJoe".
4. Instruct your child not to click on any links that come from people they don't know. Such links could lead to inappropriate websites.
5. Advise your child that it is okay for them to end a conversation with someone and walk away from the computer if that person is making them feel uncomfortable. If they've received a message from someone or are in dialogue with someone who is saying "yucky" or "mean" things to them, encourage them to end all communication and to tell you about it.
6. Children will very quickly develop friendships over the Internet. Take an interest in their online friends as you would their other friends; get to know them. Make your child aware that strangers online are the same as strangers you meet in person, and they should be careful. Ninemsn does not encourage children to meet their "cyber friends". However, if you agree to a meeting, make sure you go with your child, and arrange to meet in a public place.
7. Instruct your child not to enter any contests without your permission, as these often require personal data.
8. Instruct your child not to download anything onto the computer without your permission, as viruses can be spread this way, and downloading files onto your computer will use up space and memory.
9. Encourage your child to be courteous online. Netiquette is etiquette online. Essentially, this means treating other people as you would like to be treated, the same way you would in person.
10. Never let young children surf the Internet alone. If you are unable to sit with your child while they surf, then be sure to keep an interest in what they are looking at and regularly check up on them.
11. Get to know the sites your child uses. If you don't know how to log on, get your child to show you. Find out what types of information they offer and whether there are ways for parents to block out objectionable material.
12. Encourage your child to talk about what they see on the Web and what they are learning. Let them know it's okay for them to ask questions if they don't understand something.
13. There are plenty of supervised chat rooms on the Internet that can be trusted. These are chat rooms with adult hosts in them who watch over the conversations and monitor behaviour. Don't let your child use unsupervised chat rooms.

14. Make sure your computer is in a public place in your house. It is unsafe to have computers in bedrooms.