June Is Internet Safety Month - Tools for Parents

June is Internet Safety Month - and CAEPV Member Verizon has some great resources for parents. 

Verizon teamed up with leading online safety experts to bring parents and anyone who cares about the kids in their lives a series of videos and blogs about cyberbullying.

In this video, “Is your child being cyberbullied?,” experts highlight practical steps to take if you discover that your child is being cyberbullied or harassed. 

Here are some key take-aways: 

• Report the abuse to the website that it occurred on by using the “Report Abuse” button or by sending an email.
• Save and print evidence of the bullying.
• Be careful about cutting off your child’s access to technology. You don’t want to make them feel like they are being punished for telling you about the problem.
• Think before you immediately contact the bully’s parents, as you might complicate the situation for you and your child.
• Contact the school to find out how they can help. Even if they can’t intervene in the cyber bullying scenario, they can help by supporting your child when he or she is on campus..
• Encourage your child to “Take a break” from the online interaction rather than retaliating immediately.

This video, “When does 'rude' cross the line, online?” highlights some of the legal aspects of cyber bullying, and potential ramifications when behavior online goes too far. Watch the video below to learn more.

Here are some key take-aways:

• Willful and repeated harm or a one-time violent threat constitutes cyber bullying.
• The consequences of posting or forwarding nude or semi-nude photos may include a child pornography charge.
• Police suggest the best course of action if a child receives one of these photos is to delete it immediately and tell an adult.
• Adults need to set expectations and social rules for when it’s okay to record, post or tag photos and videos online.

For more resources, visit "Articles for Parents" on the Verizon site.

Remember - it doesn't have to be June to care about internet safety for your kids - or for yourself.  This is a great resource anytime. 

And as with any conversations about healthy versus unhealthy relationships that take place with your children, the best conversations about internet safety start when they are young, and take place often.

Keep those lines of communication open.  Especially the old-fashioned kinds of communication.  You know....talking. :-)