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Resource Topics:

Parent/Student Links
Chat & Text Terminology
Quick Tips for Parents
Stop/Think/Stay Safe
Family Contract (Sample)
News Articles
Mansfield ISD is not responsible for the content on external sites or servers.
Internet Definitions

Blog A frequent Web listing of personal thoughts and Web links. A blog is much like an online diary which includes what is happening in a person’s life. Blogs are also called web logs or weblogs.

Chat Real-time communication over the Internet. You type and send messages that appear almost instantly on the computer monitors of the other people who are participating in the chat.

Chatroom An interactive forum where you can talk in real-time. The chatroom is the place or location online where the chat is taking place.

Cyberspace Refers to all the computer networks on the Internet. The term distinguishes the physical world from the virtual or computer-based world.

Cyberstalking/
Harassment
Terms that can refer to the online enticement of children; rude or threatening messages; slanderous information; or repeated, unwanted messages.

Download Putting information on your computer. You can download information from the Internet, discs or CDs, and other computers.

E-Mail (electronic mail) A service that allows people to send messages with pictures and sounds from their computer to any other computer in the world.

Emoticons Animated faces that express different emotions you can send in E-mails, chat, and Instant Messaging. Emoticons are a way to show someone online how you are feeling.

History A list of web sites the people using a particular computer have visited. Viewing the history can be used to monitor what sites your children have visited.

Instant Messaging (IM) A service that allows people to send and receive messages almost instantly.

Internet A network of millions of computers from all over the world. The Internet allows computers to trade information using telephone lines, fiber-optic cables, and satellite links. It is also referred to as the “Net.”

Leet Speak The corruption or modification of written text. This form of communication uses inverted numbers and letters. For more about leet speak visit: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leet

Monitoring Software Software products that allow parents to monitor or track the web sites or E-mail messages that a child visits or reads.

Online Solicitation Receiving unwanted sexual advances from someone communicating with you over the Internet.

Podcast An audio show that is broadcast over the web. Users can listen to these shows on a digital music player or a computer. Podcasts can include talk shows, music, or other types of audio.

Post To leave a message on a newsgroup or bulletin board.
Trusted Adult Someone who will help protect you and make you safer.

Trusted adults can be people like family members, caregivers, family friends, teachers, counselors, coaches, clergy members, youth leaders, and law-enforcement officers.

 

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Internet SafetyThe Internet has become an essential part of our daily lives. With amazing capabilities and wonderful resources, it is sometimes easy to forget that there are dangers associated with surfing the web. The World Wide Web is an excellent tool for education, work, and entertainment, but as with any tool, it must be used safely.

Together we want children and adults alike to experience all of the good things the Internet has to offer, but we also want users to be informed and attentive. The purpose of this page is to provide a number of online resources in one place where parents can become better informed about potential dangers and also learn strategies for communicating caution to our youth.

Featured Resource: Power to Learn - Internet Smarts

PARENTS

STUDENTS

  • Online Lingo | acronyms used by your kids in Instant Messenger (IM) and chatrooms
  • WiredSafety.org | Internet safety and help group - helping victims of cyberabuse ranging from online fraud, cyberstalking and child safety, to hacking and malicious code attacks. Also help parents with issues, such as MySpace and cyberbullying. Parents...
  • GetNetWise.org | This coalition wants Internet users to be only 'one click away' from the resources they need to make informed decisions about their and their family's use of the Internet.
  • Cyber Angels | Combating Internet crime on many fronts - with education and prevention as the first goal and assistance and training following a close second. Families...
  • iKeepSafe.org | Top common questions about Internet safety. Videos, tutorials, and family lessons.
  • BlogSafety.com | Where parents, teens, educators, and experts discuss and learn about safe blogging and social networking.
  • FBI - Parent Guide to Internet Safety
  • Internet Complaint Center (iC3)

Chat & Text Message Terminology Links
Chat & Text Message Terminology

Say What?! - Every wonder what those acronyms mean? Now you can know.

Quick Internet Safety Tips for Parents

  • Keep the computer in a common room of the house.
  • Speak openly about safety issues. Children will be less likely to come
    to you if the issue is enshrouded in secrecy. If they feel that you are comfortable discussing the subject matter, they may be more
    forthcoming to you.
  • Get involved. Tell your children to show you the sites they like to visit
    online. Keep their passwords readily accessible and access your child’s account regularly.
  • Set clear rules restricting children from displaying their name, address, telephone number, pictures and other personal information online.
  • Tell your children they are never to agree to get together with someone
    they “meet” online. Warn them of the dangers of such meetings and tell them to alert you if someone approaches them about setting up a face-to-face meeting.

Internet Safety

Stop / Think / Stay Safe

  • Don’t give out personal details about yourself or your friends.
  • Online friends might not be who they say they are.
  • Be open with parents & friends
    about what you find/do on the internet.
  • Never arrange to meet up alone with anyone you’ve met on the net. If you are going to, take an adult you trust and meet in a public place.
  • Can you pass the Internet Safety Quiz?
  • Report unwanted solicitations to your parents or a trusted adult.
  • If you become aware of the sharing, use, or viewing of child pornography
    online, immediately report this to the National Center for Missing &
    Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or online at www.cybertipline.com.
  • If someone harasses you online, says anything inappropriate, or does
    anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, tell a trusted adult and contact your Internet service provider.
Family Contract - Have a plan and set some rules...
  1. We believe computer security is the business of everyone in the house.
  2. We don’t give out addresses, names, school, age, sex, or any personal information.
  3. We never download freeware, shareware from websites we don’t trust.
  4. We do not pirate movies, games & music.
  5. We never open e-mail attachments unless we know where they are from.
  6. We don’t post or send photos of anyone on the Internet.
  7. We don’t shop at websites that don’t respect our privacy.
  8. We don’t complete surveys & contests.
  9. We always use passwords and change them often.
  10. We never use pirated or copied software.
  11. We make sure our computer security is up to date.
  12. We don’t gossip, swear, fight, or talk about people.
  13. We never respond to junk mail and Spam.
News Articles - Social Networking and resource sites

Internet Safety

 
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Feel free to pass this information on to other users and let us know of other useful tools, links, resources that could be presented here. E-mail

Mansfield ISD is not responsible for the content on external sites or servers.

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605 East Broad Street • Mansfield, Texas 76063 • (817) 299-6300