Lowell Parent Workshop

Holly GerlaSam HarrisEmily McMason

Lowell Elementary School PTA10 December 2013

What is Digital Citizenship?

Using technology:

• safely

• responsibly

• critically

• productively

Build the digital footprint you want. Image: Wikimedia Commons

Educate...

• yourself

• your kids

• your family

• your community Image by San José LibraryFlickr Commons

COPPA

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998(new updates July 1, 2013)

Children must be 13 years of age to use a site that collects any personal information about them.

Personal vs. Private - is there a difference?

How do expectations change as your child gets older?

Terms of Service

READ THEM!

Make your children

read them!

Also look at

Privacy Policies or

Community Guidelines

Some are actually easy to read :)

A Top Ten...

List of Discussion Topics for Parenting in a Digital World

Once the rules are set, put them in writing....with your children. Ask them what they think are reasonable boundaries. Working with them creates

buy-in and a sense of joint purpose.

1. Draw a line in the sand...and then sign a pre-nup.

• Where and what are the electronic devices in your house?

• What are the hours of use for tech tools?

• Do they have to ask permission to visit new web sites?

• Are you “friends” with your children on social media?

• What are the expectations when visiting a friend’s house?

For example:

2. Be wishy-washy.

Explaining to your child why the change is happening lets them know we all learn and adapt with new information.

It’s okay to change your mind, to try a set of rules and then change them.

3. Play Your Top 40.

Have them envision 40 people:

• grandparents

• teachers

• their “crush”

• the dean of admissions to the college of their dreams

• their potential employers

How are those people going to react when they see your post?

4. The Price is Right

A $400 pencil? An $800 bracelet? Would you worry about these items getting lost, damaged or stolen?

5. On the Catwalk

Model it. Work it. Show your kids that the rules are livable. By everyone in the family.

Digital images: an entry point to the conversations.

6. Fly like an Eagle

It is tempting to put our heads in the sand and say that kids are “digital natives” and are fine. Kids are also vehicular natives. Can you imagine giving your keys to an 11 year old?

Even when you want to be an ostrich.

7. Technology by Proxy

If your child doesn’t have a device, that doesn’t mean they aren’t aware, viewing, or participating in digital behaviors that may be questionable.

8. Missing Persons

In the hours our kids are consuming media content, what aren’t they doing?

9. Everything is educational

What are you learning?

10. Parent, party of one.

Don’t be afraid to stand up to the pressure of your kids and your own peers and say ‘no’.

Resources

Tracking the Trackers - Gary Kovacs, Mozilla CEO

Browser add-ons or extensions:

• AdBlock Plus

• A Clea.nr Internet

• Simple Profanity Filter (for Chrome)

• Ghostery (identify and block trackers)

• Lightbeam (for Firefox)

Q and A

What else is on your mind?