Internet Safety Tricks and Tips

The NetSmartz Workshop is an interactive, educational safety resource from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® (NCMEC) and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) for children aged 5 to 17, parents, guardians, educators, and law enforcement that uses age-appropriate, 3-D activities to teach children how to stay safer on the Internet.

About 17 million youth ages 12 to 17 use the Internet. That's 73 percent of teenagers in the United States.** For many of these teenagers the Internet is an integral part of their everyday lives. They use Instant Messaging, chatrooms, and E-mail services to communicate with friends and relatives. They use web sites to get information on health issues, for school reports, and for information on current events. Many teens exchange and play music and games via the Internet. Also, tech savvy teens are creating web sites to exchange information and do business.

Teens are taught Internet safety principles through real-life stories told by teens. Two of the pieces, "Amy's Choice" and "Julie's Journey," are actual recordings of victims recounting the consequences of their online choices. Most vignettes take about three minutes to watch.

Corresponding activity cards give ideas for how to use the teen stories to teach Internet safety to middle- and high-school aged students in individual, group, or classroom settings.

**Teenage Life Online. The Rise of Instant-Message Generation and the Internet's Impact on Friendships and Family Relationships. Washington, DC: Pew Internet & American Life Project, 2001.

Some Links for Internet Safety

• A Guide to Internet Safety - A slideshow presentation developed by the Technology Office about Internet Safety tips.
• Internet Safety Information - A compilation of links listing out other websites geared towards Internet Safety and presentations created by individuals in our community.
• Westfield Public Schools Internet Safety Policy - A page for the Westfield Public Schools defining our Internet Safety Policy and resources for parents, students and teachers.
• Netsmartz.org - Educational resource from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that discusses various Internet safety topics.