Online Safety Parent Corner

Getting a cellphone has become a milestone for most kids. Common Sense Media helps parents lay the groundwork for responsible cellphone use and manage the challenges and opportunities they bring. Learn how to decide the right age to get your kid a cellphone, set rules, choose the right phone and service plan and stay on top of what your kid is doing on his or her phone.

• Cell Phone Parenting (Common Sense Media)
• Apple iPhone and iPad Parental Controls
• Android Parental Controls
• Screen Time
• How to Track Internet History on Kid's Cell Phone

Gaming Parental Controls and Monitoring
Many students spend time using video games for entertainment and to communicate with others. View Common Sense Media resources to assist with parental controls.

• Game Reviews (Common Sense Media)
• Playstation 3 Parental Controls
• XBox One Parental Controls
• XBox 360 Parental Controls
• Wii U Parental Controls
• Call of Duty Modern Warfare | A Parent’s Guide
• Parent Guide: Call of Duty Black Ops 4

Sexting (Parent Resources to Assist)
Sending and receiving text messages via one's cell phone has become extremely popular, especially among adolescents. In addition to sending text-based messages, many cell phones also allow users to send pictures and videos. While there are many positives aspects associated with this ability to connect, communicate and share instantly, it also creates many potential problems.

One major issue of concern that has emerged is referred to as "sexting." Sexting is when people take and send sexually revealing pictures of themselves or send sexually explicit messages via the Internet or text messages.

A recent survey by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy found that 22 percent of teen girls and 20 percent of teen boys have sent nude or semi-nude photos over the Internet or their cell phones.

Kids "sext" to show off, to entice someone, to show interest in someone or to prove their commitment. Sending seductive pictures or messages is problematic enough, but the real challenge comes when this inappropriate content is shared broadly. When revealing photos are made public, the subject of them almost always ends up feeling humiliated. Furthermore, sending sexual images to minors is against the law, and some states have begun prosecuting children for child pornography or felony obscenity.

Since Texas Senate Bill 407 passed in 2011, the legal consequences regarding sexting have been expanded in Texas. Therefore, it is extremely important for everyone - especially minors - to become aware of the penalties that can come from being convicted or adjudicated of sexting. If a minor who is not a child is found guilty of the offense of sexting, penalties range from a fine (not to exceed $500) to up to one year in jail. If an individual is convicted of the felony offense of possession or promotion of child pornography, penalties range from two to 20 years in prison. Additional penal codes can be found here. Always remember that you can call and discuss any of these matters with the MISD Police Department at 817-299-6000.

Prevention Tips

• Don't wait for an incident to happen before you talk with your child about the consequences of sexting.
• Remind teens that once an image is sent, it can never be retrieved and they lose control of it. Ask them how they would feel if their teachers, parents or even the entire school saw the picture.
• Talk about pressures to send revealing photos. Let teens know that you understand how they can be pushed or dared into sending something. Tell them that no matter how strong the social pressure to sext, the potential social humiliation can be hundreds of times worse.
• Teach students that the buck stops with them. If someone sends them a photo, they should delete it immediately. It is better to be part of the solution than the problem. Besides, if they do send it on, they're distributing pornography — and that's against the law.

Resources

• Combating Online Enticement of Children
• 8 Things You and Your Teen Need to Know about Sexting
• Healthy vs. Unhealthy Relationships
• How Do I Talk to My Teen About Sexting?
• Teen Voices: Sexting, Relations and Risks
• Screenagers

Cyberbullying is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed, or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones. Cyber bullies can be classmates, online acquaintances, and even anonymous users, but most often they do know their victims.

According to a recent survey, more than one-third of U.S. teens say they have been cyber bullied or know someone who has. Cyber bullying can lead to low self-esteem and other negative emotional responses. Victims may feel scared, frustrated, humiliated, angry, and even depressed. They may become isolated, withdrawn, jumpy, or nervous when receiving a text or instant message, and may even stop going to school. There have been several reported cases in which cyber bullying victims have committed suicide.

Both boys and girls sometimes bully online, and just as in face-to-face bullying, tend to do so in different ways. Boys more commonly bully by sending messages of a sexual nature or by threatening to fight or hurt someone. Girls more often bully by spreading rumors and by sending messages that make fun of someone or exclude others. They also tell secrets. Both victims and perpetrators of cyber bulling are twice as likely to be girls.

What Does Cyberbullying Look Like?

• Sending someone mean or threatening emails, instant messages or text messages
• Excluding someone from an instant messenger buddy list or blocking their email for no reason
• Tricking someone into revealing personal or embarrassing information and sending it to others
• Breaking into someone's email or instant message account to send cruel or untrue messages while posing as that person
• Creating websites to make fun of another person such as a classmate or teacher
• Using websites to rate peers as prettiest, ugliest, etc.

To learn more about Mansfield ISD's guidelines and how they combat bullying and cyberbullying, please visit the Anti-Bullying webpageCyberbullying Resources

• What is Cyberbullying? (Common Sense Media)
• Cyber Safety and Security Parent Presentation (Icenhower IS-12/7/21)
• Stopbullying.gov
• Cyberbully411

• App Reviews (Common Sense Media)
• A Parent's Guide to Among Us
• Special Needs Apps (Common Sense Media)
• Website Reviews (Common Sense Media)
• Explore Questions by Age (Common Sense Media)
• Protect Young Eyes
• Parent's Guide to Roblox
• Parent Guide To Amazon Fire TV
• Monitor Song Lyrics with Bark!

More Online Resources for Students

• New phone, who dis?: Get tips and tricks for avoiding creeps and protecting yourself online.
• Is Your Explicit Content Out on Social Media?: Everything you need to know about reporting images/videos on social platforms.

In accordance with HB 3171, Section 38.023, the Texas Education Agency has developed and made available to school districts a list of resources concerning Internet Safety. Communication on the internet can be an educational and enjoyable form of socialization. However, just like in the real world, exchanging information in online conversations like chat and email can be potentially dangerous. The above link provides information for educators, parents, and students about smart and safe internet communication.