Holla!

I want to give a shout out to all the Club kids I've been working a lot with this summer! I want to give give an ESPECIALLY big shout out to the Roy Club juniors where I presented yesterday.... they were the most respectful, well-behaved kids I've worked with all summer! Good job staff at Roy, and thanks for being so great kids!

Surf Safe,
Shanna

Another Good Reason Not to be a Numbut (especially in China!)

I came across the Associated Press article this morning; I've added the link below.

China stops shock therapy for Internet addicts

Nearly 3,000 youths have undergone treatment in four-month program

BEIJING—

China's Health Ministry has ordered a hospital to stop using electric shock therapy to cure youths of Internet addiction, saying there was no scientific evidence it worked.

Linyi Mental Health Hospital in eastern Shandong province used the treatment as part of a four-month program that has so far treated nearly 3,000 youths, the China Youth Daily newspaper has reported, citing the psychiatrist who runs it, Yang Yongxin.

The ministry said in a statement posted on its Web site late Monday there is no domestic or international clinical evidence that electric shock therapy helps cure Internet addiction. Electric shock therapy is most often used to treat severe depression.

Chinese psychologists say symptoms of Internet addiction include being online more than six hours a day — playing games and looking at pornography rather than working or studying — and getting angry when unable to get online.

The hospital could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but spokesman Yang Shuyun told the Beijing News newspaper had stopped administering the shock therapy after seeing the ministry's comments.

Shuyun said it was only part of the overall program to treat patients, which also included medicine and psychological counseling. Patients are charged $805 (5,500 yuan) a month.

Computer and Internet use has risen dramatically as China's economy has boomed in recent years, and according to an estimate by China's National People's Congress about 10 percent of the country's under-18 users are addicted to the Internet, although it is not recognized as a clinical condition.

Here's the link: China

Surf Safe!
Shanna

Netsmartz411

We talk to parents and teachers a lot about educating themselves about the Internet and their children's "online life" so I'm happy to answer questions about what terms mean, what sites are, etc. However, I want to remind everyone that there is an awesome resource online where you can get answers to a lot of the questions you have because others have asked it, or you can even ask an expert your own question.

"Netsmartz411 is parents' and guardians' premier, online resource for answering questions about Internet safety, computers, and the Web."

Below are just a few of the questions and anwers you can find on this site:

• How many teens are actually engaging in sexting?
• What is Craigslist? What are some safety tips for using this site?
• How can I protect my child when he or she uses a cell phone?
• What does it mean to "tag" a photo on Facebook?

Again, we love to get your questions, but I'd like to encourage you to also take advantage of this great Q&A resource available to you anytime.

Surf Safe!
Shanna

Love Neopets?

Popular Children's Web Site Under Attack by Identity Thieves

Here's the link to the Fox News Story:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,530684,00.html

It's a good idea to review the Netsmartz rules with your kids, especially in summer when a lot of us relax and let our guard down a little more. People who misuse and abuse the Internet are always coming up with new ways of doing it; make sure your kids know how to protect themselves.

Questions? Let us know!
Surf Safe,
Shanna

The Latest on Drew Cyberbullying Case

Even though I've been teaching Internet Safety for a while now, I never cease to be amazed how powerful and damaging cyberbullying can be. It's really sad when you think about it- you used to be able to get away from the bullies when you went home after school, but not anymore. Now your home, your bedroom, your office .... they're no longer a refuge. For some kids and teens, it's like they can NEVER escape the bullying. We can't let this kind of stuff happen anymore- it can ruin, even sometimes end, lives. Please, if you know of any cyberbullying that's happening, take it seriously. Make a report to www.cybertipline.com.

Here's an update on the Drew case, as reported by the Associated Press:

Sentencing scheduled for Mo. mom in MySpace hoax

6 hours ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Missouri mother faces up to three years in prison at her sentencing Thursday in Los Angeles for her role in a MySpace hoax directed at a 13-year-old neighbor girl who later killed herself.

Lori Drew was convicted in November on three misdemeanor counts of accessing computers without authorization. A defense motion to dismiss the convictions has received a lengthy review from U.S. District Judge George Wu, who delayed Drew's sentencing in May to review the testimony of two prosecution witnesses.

Much attention has been paid to Drew's case, primarily because it was the nation's first cyberbullying trial.

Prosecutors say Drew sought to humiliate Megan Meier by helping create a fictitious teen boy on the social networking site and sending flirtatious messages to the girl in his name. The fake boy then dumped Megan in a message saying the world would be better without her. She hanged herself a short time later in October 2006 in the St. Louis suburb of Dardenne Prairie, Mo.

Drew was not directly charged with causing Megan's death. Instead, prosecutors indicted her under the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which in the past has been used in hacking and trademark theft cases.

Drew's attorney, Dean Steward, said charges should have never been brought against his client and prosecution's decision to seek a three-year prison sentence for misdemeanor convictions was "shocking."

"The government's case is all about making Lori Drew a public symbol of cyberbullying," Steward said in a previous court filing. "The government has created a fiction that Lori Drew somehow caused (Megan's) death, and it wants a long prison sentence to make its fiction seem real."

Judge Wu acknowledged in May he was concerned that sending Drew to prison for violating a Web site's service terms might set a dangerous precedent. Wu noted that millions of people either don't read service terms, as happened in Drew's case.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that Drew violated MySpace service rules by setting up the phony profile for a boy named "Josh Evans" with the help of her then-13-year-old daughter Sarah and business assistant Ashley Grills. They posted a photo of a bare-chested boy with tousled brown hair. "Josh" then told Megan she was "sexi" and assured her, "i love you so much."

Prosecutors believe Drew and her daughter, who was friends with Megan, created the profile to find out if Megan was spreading rumors about Sarah. Grills testified she received a message from Megan in mid-2006, calling Drew's daughter a lesbian.

Grills, who testified under a promise of immunity, allegedly sent the final, insulting message to Megan before she killed herself. Prosecutors said Megan sent a response saying, "'You are the kind of boy a girl would kill herself over.'"

Jurors decided Drew was not guilty of the more serious felonies of intentionally causing emotional harm while accessing computers without authorization. The jury could not reach an unanimous verdict on a felony conspiracy charge.

The trial was held in Los Angeles because the servers of the social networking site are in the area.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Surf Safe,
Shanna :)

News Article on Sexting

If you are a parent, make sure you are aware of what your child or teen are texting to each other. If you are a teen, make sure you don't fall into this catagory.

Remember: Once you post something online or send a message on your phone, you CAN'T get it back!

Sexting common among teens

Be safe in cyberspace!

Lezlee

Attention Sugar House Club Teens!

The Secret Word is:

Starfish

Good luck!
Shanna :)

Use Your Netsmartz... This Summer!

Now that most schools are on break, Netsmartz trainers are hoping to reach
kids where they are spending their summers! If you're interested in a
training at your summer camp, child care, kids club, or anywhere else... let
us know! Because with more free time usually come more online time, it's
important to us to make sure kids know and follow on the Netsmartz rules!

Questions? Want to request a training? Post here and we'll get back to you!

Surf Safe,
Shanna

Cracking Down on Sexting

   We can't emphasize enough how serious sexting has become. I came across this article today about an attorney in Fremont County who intends to prosecute cases of sexting to the maximum extent possible. Take a look:

 

http://www.rexburgstandardjournal.com/articles/2009/06/04/news/30.txt

 

 

Surf (and text) safe!

Shanna

Holla!

A big thank you to Mountain View Elementary in Layton! You guys were a good audience, especially considering tomorrow is the last day of school! Get outside, enjoy the sun, and have a fun summer..... Don't you be a numbut!

 

Surf Safe,
Shanna

Holla!

Woo hoo Escalante Elementary! Thanks for squeezing Netsmartz in before summer! I know it's been a busy year and a busy week, so I really appreciate it! Don't forget to play on the Web site this summer, and remember... you can email Clicky! Have fun!

Surf Safe,
Shanna

Holla! ... times FOUR!

   When school is released for summer, kids will have a lot more time to spend online.... so, I have been super busy lately trying to reach a lot of kids before the break. I want to give a shout out to some of the awesome schools I've been to recently! Meadowbrook Elementary, Parkside Elementary, Snow Horse Elementary, and East Layton Elementary! You guys were so awesome! Thanks for having so much fun with the assembly! Please remember all the rules and have a great summer!

Surf safe!
Shanna

"The Power of Facebook"

Peek over at http://www.kutv.com to watch/read their segment "The Power of Facebook" if you missed it on Channel 2 last night. I thought it might be helpful to also add Facebook advice from Brian Watkins, PR Manager at Social Media at Omniture.

1.       Have your own Social Media Policy

a.       Decide why you are you using Facebook: business networking, keeping in touch with friends, job search, etc.

b.      Who will you be friends with? (Talk to your significant other before "friending" past relationships.)

c.       Who will you share info with?

d.      How will you portray myself online? (You are your own brand)

e.      Before posting something, think "Is this really the right audience for this?"

 

2.       Control What Others See About You

a.       Utilize Your Profile Privacy Page

                                                              i.      Settings/Privacy Settings/Profile

                                                            ii.      Make your contact information available only to close contacts

 

b.      Utilize Friends lists

                                                              i.      Friends/Create New List

 

3.       Control What You See (Information Overload)

a.       Remove content that does not resonate with you using the "Hide" feature

b.      Organize your Friends lists

4.       Create a Facebook Page for your company. Click "Ads and Pages" on the bottom left side of the page

Let us know if you have any questions!

Surf Safe,
Shanna

Holla!

I want to give a shout out to Treasure Mountain Middle School in Park City! The students there had to put up with me for 90 minutes at a time (not to mention that I had to teach 8 different 90 minute blocks!) and they did a great job. Don't forget all that we talked about! Make sure that you watch out for your siblings and peers too, and make a report on your school's Web site if you know of any bullying that's going on. You guys are awesome!

Surf safe!
Shanna