Children don’t always realise that once something is posted, it can be online forever

PARENTS are being urged to do more to monitor their children’s internet usage ahead of Internet Safety Day (SID) on February 9.

CYTA HAS over 100,000 internet users, yet fewer than 4000 of them are using their free filtering service leaving young users most vulnerable from the lack of protection.

With children often more computer-advanced than adults and with the internet awash with all sorts of dangerous and disturbing materials, the potential dangers are clear.

Around the world, February 9 has been designated Safer Internet Day (SID) with this year’s theme being ‘Think Before You Post’ with the focus being on safer internet use by the young. This year CyTA has organised two seminars - one in Greek, the other in English – next week on internet safety and protecting against the theft of personal data.

However it is parents who should be first on the list of safer internet use, as all too often they are not doing enough to ensure their children’s safety, says Yiannis Laouris, president of the Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute’s Science Unit of Future Worlds Centre and member of the Cyberethics team in Cyprus.

“It is obvious that parents have not yet taken the potential dangers seriously,” he said. “Only when things get really bad do they expect the police to solve their problem when they should know that prevention is the mother of medicine.”

A quick call round to parents in Nicosia seemed to confirm his view that many parents had little knowledge of what their children were doing while surfing the net.

“The computer is in the living room, so I can restrict the time they’re on it but that’s not enough and I know that now,” said Katerina Iacovou, a mother of three young boys, one of whom is ten and already has a Facebook account. “He came home one day with a list of points on how to create an account of Facebook. It was given to him by an older kid at school.”

Another mother, Maria Theodorou, said: “I have no idea how long they’re on the internet or what they’re doing. I should but I don’t. I must say I’m astonished by the amount of things my 13-year-old knows about computers and the internet. I have no idea where he learnt all this.”

“Privacy is our focus this year,” said Laouris. “Social networking sites and other virtual environments are currently the predominant technologies, so children and adults are increasingly engaging in these virtual spaces without knowing the limit on revealing personal information.” He explained, however, that children are clever and responsible and should be trusted, but only after parents have empowered them to use the internet wisely. Schools are doing their part by handing out questionnaires designed to be answered by parents. “Schools are introducing safer internet concepts not as separate lessons but integrated in every other subject,” said Laouris.

The first SID was celebrated in 2004 with 14 countries in Europe plus Australia taking part. It is funded by the EU Safer Internet Programme and has focused on a number of themes since then.

“The following year, 30 countries took part in the campaign,” says Laouris. “Then, in 2006, 37 countries took part in a worldwide ‘blogathon’ for safer internet, in which a wide range of organisations active in promoting internet made postings invited comments from children, schools and parents.”

By 2009, SID involved 50 countries and had a particular focus on youngsters’ safety in social networking sites. A self-regulatory document has also been signed by major social networks active in Europe regarding the online safety of under 18s.

Tips for kids

Think before you post. Once something is posted, it can be online forever.

Don’t post anything you don’t want others to know or that you wouldn’t say to them face to face. Respect your friends too; that funny photo of them might not be so funny for them. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Remember that private images and videos you send or post might be passed on to others and uploaded to public sites. Once they’re up you can’t remove them completely.

Respect other people’s content. For example, a photo that your friend took is their property, not yours. You can post it online if they say you can.

Keep your personal information private. Don’t share personal details like your name, address or school with people you don’t already know.

Tips for parents

Monitor your child’s internet use consistently. This is not a violation of your child’s privacy; this is a safeguarding measure and part of your responsibility as a parent.

If your child does belong to a social networking site, look closely at what information they have posted on their profiles including photos and videos. Predators, bullies, profanity and threats often occur on these types of sites.

Find out what other websites your child’s social networking site is linked to. Sometimes, the site may be safe but they may be linked to a site which could endanger them.

Talk to your child about your internet safety concerns in a positive way and give them the opportunity to make safety resolution that you can both live with. For example, how much time can be spent online? Are chat rooms permitted?

Encourage your children to bring anything strange or upsetting to your attention and don’t overreact when they do; fear of losing internet privileges is why kids don’t tell parents about problems.

Learn how filtering and monitoring software can assist you in protecting your children. If you do find something disturbing call the Police Hotline at 22-674747 or send a report at www.CyberEthics.info

Think Before You Post seminars. In Greek, Tuesday February 9, at the Hilton Park Hotel in Nicosia. In English, Wednesday February 10, at lecture theatre of the CyTA head office, Telecommunications Street, Nicosia. For information contact: 22-701985, 99-610985 or email maria.souroulla@cyta.com.cy