Circle Link 1 Online Rules of the Road

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Reginald Fisher
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1 4 th Grade Scavenger Hunt Links Content Circle Link 1 Online Rules of the Road 1. Guard your privacy. What people know about you is up to you. A secret you tell one person can be forwarded to many others! 2. Protect your reputation. What other people know about you is up to you. What s funny today can embarrass you tomorrow. 3. Nothing is private online. Anything you say or do can be copied, pasted, and sent to gazillions of people without your permission. 4. Assume everyone is watching. There s a huge audience out there. If someone is your friend s friend, they can see everything. Do you really want your teacher to know what you said about her? 5. Be nice. Apply the Golden Rule. If you don t want it done to you, don t do it to someone else. 6. Watch the clock, and balance your life. A real soccer game beats one on an Xbox, and a virtual hug never matches a real one. Besides, your parents will flip out with joy if they see you turning off your computer and playing outside with friends instead. 7. Choose wisely. When you search for certain words (you know what they are), you can get back more than you bargained for. Stuff that you really don't need to see and that can be really upsetting. Be smart about using search. Besides, your parents can find out, and that's a discussion you don't want, either. 8. Don't hide. Using anonymity to cloak your actions doesn t turn you into a trustworthy, responsible human being. 9. Think about what you see. Just because it s online doesn t make it true. 10. Be smart, be safe. Not everyone is who they say they are. But you know that. 2 Get Your Web License If you need something from a Web site for homework, it's OK to use it as long as you write where you got it. If someone is saying mean things to you online, you should ignore them or ask your parents for advice. Web sites should always post a privacy policy, where they tell you why they need information from you and what they will do with it. If you're not sure why a Web site needs your information, ask a parent for help.

2 Passwords are used on the Internet for your protection. Choose a password that is easy for you to remember, but hard for others to guess. And remember NOT to give it to anyone. Not all Web addresses end in.com. You may also see:.edu for educational institutions, such as schools and colleges.gov for government agencies.org for non-commercial or non-profit organizations (like PBS). TV and the Internet have a lot of things in common. One of the biggest differences between the TV and the Internet is that on the Internet, you can share your ideas and stories with other kids your age. It's OK to share your first name, age, city and hobbies on the Internet because they won't let anyone find you. Cookies collect bits of information. Some cookies might track where you go on the Internet or collect other information about you. Be careful of what you download from the Web, s, or programs like Instant Messenger. Some files contain viruses that cause serious problems to your computer. Before downloading anything, make sure your computer has a virus protection program installed. If you don't know, ask an adult. When talking to someone new on the internet it is OK to talk about things you have in common. But remember never to tell them your name or where you live. 3 Netiquette Guidelines Remember to treat others online as you would like to be treated. When you receive an which says to send it to everyone you know, please don t. When you send messages online, make yourself look good by proofreading and correcting mistakes before pressing the send button. Do not type messages in ALL CAPITALS. It s like shouting. Respect other people s privacy. Do not forward other people s s without their permission. Be forgiving of other people s mistakes online. Ask before you send huge attachments. Keep your communications short and to the point.

3 The internet is not private. It is a mistake to assume that it is. Do not leave the subject field blank in s. Do not forward jokes, chain letters or unimportant s without the recipient s permission. If you receive a nasty do not respond immediately, if at all. Do not forward virus warnings. They are generally hoaxes. 4 Cyber Copyright Smarts Copyright is the law that protects the works of authors, artists, composers and others from being used without permission. Fair use allows you to use a limited amount of copyrighted material for your educational use. Works that are not copyrighted are public domain, and may be used without permission. You should always give credit or attribution to the person who created the work such as a photograph, sound recording, motion picture, or document. 5 Tips for Internet Safety 1. Always have good manners and be polite when talking to someone else online. 2. Ask your parents to spend time with you while online so that you can show them some of the neat things you can find online. 3. Only use the Internet when your parents tell you it's OK, and only for as long as you are supposed to. 4. Don't give out personal information like your address, telephone number or school name to anyone unless you have permission from your parents. 5. Never meet with a cyberfriend or key pal unless your parents go with you or you have their permission to go alone. 6. Don't break copyright rules by taking words, pictures or sound from someone else's website without their permission.

4 7. Don't respond to any messages you get if they are strange, mean or upsetting to you, and tell your parents or teachers right away. 8. Don't send pictures of yourself or your family to anyone unless you have permission from your parents. 9. Stop right away if you see or read something on a Web site that upsets you and tell your parents or teachers about it. 10. Don't put words, pictures or sounds on other people's Web sites without their permission. 6 Safe Screen Name Tips Famous people often use a pen name or a fake name to protect themselves from people they do not know. The Rock: his real name is Dwayne Johnson Dr. Seuss: his real name is Theodor Geisel To protect yourself from strangers, you should use a screen name that doesn t reveal anything about you. Dangerous screen names reveal too much personal information. Example: Daryl-13-Miami@yahoo.com Safe screen names are general and could be anyone. Example: D-Time-FBI@yahoo.com Never reveal your personal information in your screen name, on a website, or in an online profile that can help a predator find you in the real world. Personal information includes: your name, address, phone number, pictures of yourself and your school. Anyone, including online predators, could use any of your personal information to find out exactly where you live, where your school is, and how to get to your house. 7 Internet Safety You should never give out personal information to someone you meet online such as your real name, address, telephone number, the school you attend, or your photograph. No one you meet online should ask you to keep secrets or do things that you wouldn't ordinarily do. Be cautious of people on your "buddy list," "friend list," or "contact list" that you only know from online. They may not be who they claim to be. You should also be

5 careful not to use screen names that give out personal information about yourself, because that may make it easier for someone to pretend to be your friend. You should let your parents know right away if you get messages that make you feel frightened or confused, so that they can let the online service provider know. You should not respond to these messages, and it isn't your fault if you get a message like that. You should always tell your parents if anything bothers you about someone you meet online or if someone is asking for information about you. You should always tell your parents if someone you meet online wants to meet you in person, and you should NEVER agree to meet someone in person who you have met online. You can report anything that is threatening or involves child pornography to the CyberTipline by visiting their web site at or by calling They will ask questions about what happened and give your parents and you information about people who can help you. 8 Be Smart The internet is good because it puts us in touch with the world, but it can also be bad because everyone we meet online is not our friend. Never give out identifying information such as your home address, school name or telephone numbers. Never meet face to face with another internet user without parental permission. Never respond to suggestive, obscene, belligerent or threatening messages. Report messages that are harassing, sexual or threatening. 9 Don t Open That File! Computer viruses can travel through e-cards and other harmless looking attachments in s. A virus can make your computer act slow or not work at all. Tell an adult to make sure your anti-virus software is updated. Anti-virus software helps protect computers from getting a virus just like people get sick from germs. If you get an from someone you don t know, don t open it. Even if you get an from someone you do know, be careful because it may contain a virus. Think about it before you forward any s.

6 10 Be Careful Online Cyberpals are strangers You should never post any photos of you or your friends online. You shouldn t keep secrets from your parents. If you feel uncomfortable about anything you have seen online you should tell your parents. You should not meet in person with someone you met online. A chatroom is a place on the Internet that you talk with people.

Online Safety & Security

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