Child Safety & Privacy Online

Introduction

Recent articles such as “Schools Putting Pupils At Net Risk” (The Courier Mail 16^th March 2000) and “Sex Lies, and Children: What Parents Don’t Know About The Internet” (Family PC News) are timely reminders of school’s obligation to protect the privacy of individual students. 

Teachers are aware of parental concern with regards to the publishing of student information, including photographs, online.  As more and more people access school Internet and Intranet sites the need for vigilance increases.  The issue of password and username security is foremost in the minds of the IT teachers as well as others with a vested interest.

Discussion 

The risks that our students face in using the Internet needs to be kept in proportion to the actual danger.  It is easy to overreact to the fear of a child being abducted or molested when the reality is that, however horrifying, this is of a low risk.  The Safe Kids website outlines the hazards that children are likely to encounter using the Internet.  These are: -

• Exposure to Inappropriate Material

Material of a sexual, hateful or violent nature that might encourage dangerous of illegal activities

• Physical Molestation 

Although rare, paedophiles have used e-mail, bulletin boards and chat rooms to gain a child’s trust before arranging a face-to-face meeting.

• Harassment

E-mail, bulletin board or chat messages that are harassing, demeaning or belligerent.

• Legal & Financial

Partaking in activities with negative legal or financial consequences, for example, using an adult’s credit card to undertake fraud

• Privacy

Extracting information without parental consent. Drug, Alcohol, Tobacco & other Danger Some sites advocate the use of addictive or illegal substances.  It is possible to find information on firearms and explosives manufacture.

• Gambling and Other Inappropriate Behaviours

Sites that encourage gambling or that allow children to participate in other adult activities.

It is important to keep in mind that the negative side of Internet usage is outweighed by the positive benefits delivered by the media.

The recent publication of a significant study called “Safe & Smart – Research And Guidelines For Children’s Use Of The Internet”.  Initiated by The National School Board Foundation and supported by The Children’s Television Workshop and Microsoft, the study surveyed over 1700 households to examine attitudes towards the Internet.  The executive summary makes interesting reading and largely echoes conventional wisdom.  In short the report finds: -

• The main reason families buy computers and connect their children to the Internet at home is for education.
  

• The Internet does not disrupt children’s everyday habits and typically, healthy activities.
  

• Contrary to conventional wisdom, the Internet does not appear to isolate children from their families, peers or community.  Instead, the Internet is a powerful communication tool that connects children (and parents) to others and could bolster home-school communication.
  

• Girls use the Internet as much as boys, but in different ways.
  

• Schools have the opportunity to help narrow the gap between the haves and have-nots.
  

• Parents trust their children’s use of the Internet; however they have some concerns.

Equally of value, the report highlights the implications for school leaders, and gives guidelines for this group together with parents.  In brief, the report recommends that school leaders and parents: -

• Take a balanced approach to policies and practices for children’s use of the Internet.
  

• Pay as much attention to highlighting good content as restricting bad content.
  

• Develop a plan to help schools, teachers, and parents educate children about safe, responsible use of the Internet.
  

• Foster appropriate use of the Internet among preschoolers and other young children.
  

• Help teachers, parents and children use the Internet more effectively for learning.
  

• Use the Internet to communicate more effectively with parents and students.
  

• Engage the community.

The Smart & Safe research identifies five issues with regards to Children’s On-Line Safety with some noticeable overlap with those identified by SafeKids.Com.  Smart & Safe identifies: -  

• Cyber stalking and threats on-line predators pose to children’s physical safety.
  

• Harmful or inappropriate content, most often characterised as pornographic, excessively violent or simply “adult”.
  

• Privacy invasions that result from the collection of personally identifiable information about individual children.
  

• Commercialism and aggressive marketing targeted directly at children.  
  

• Ensuring that worthwhile content is created and is able to reach children and families in their homes in addition to their schools.

The report highlights the trends within the “children’s on-line industry”.  It makes note of current government regulation and industry self-regulation. Reference is made to the recent legislation (Broadcasting Services Amendment – Online Services) passed by the Australian Government.  

The growth in child-focussed portals designed as “launch pads” for children’s Internet use is an interesting trend.

Conclusion & Action  

The Internet is a valuable educational tool, widely accepted as an integral part of the modern classroom.  The benefits of Internet usage outweigh the smaller risks associated with the media.  This notwithstanding, responsible educational establishments and authorities must continue to discharge their obligation to minimise students’ contact with harmful, obscene or inappropriate material.  Equally they take every reasonable step to protect students’ on-line privacy and resultant physical and emotional safety.  

To this end, the following suggestions are offered …

• The SafeKid.Com rules for online Safety should be widely adopted and reprinted (with permission) in school handbooks. 
  

• IT specialists working with pastoral care teachers should create modules of work on online safety for inclusion in the pastoral programme for each year group – this might include taking the Safe Surfing Permit Safety Quiz in Year 5.  
  

• Generic student passwords should be avoided and individual student passwords should be changed regularly so as to reinforce and promote sound network security procedures.  
  

• Search engine access should be graded so that younger students only access child portal sites.  Care should be taken to avoid advertising.  
  

• Links to web sites external from a school or college Intranet should be through a link page warning users that they are leaving a safe web site.  
  

• Students’ names should not be used on a school or college Intranet or Internet site without the express written consent of parents.  
  

• A web safety day could be organised at school level to promote online child safety.  An evening workshop could be run for parents.  
  

• E-mail scrutiny software should be considered essential and senior pastoral staff should be informed of inappropriate e-mail sent and received.  Software such as Mail-Gear or EMU can also be used to counter e-mail address forgery as well as combating the spread of certain viruses.

27 June, 2000