Young people and safety online

 

Young people now have grown up with the internet and are quick to adapt to the possibilities offered by chatrooms, instant messaging and so on.

Parents and carers may well feel that they have been left floundering in the ICT wake. Even those of us who are computer-literate and may have many years' experience and familiarity with the internet and/or email can find that newer technologies such as IM and other forms of chat are closed worlds to us.

The Young People's area of this website has a section on Online safety and this page includes most of the information from that section. Our main concern has been to emphasise to young people that, although the online world is generally a fascinating world that can help them both academically and during free time, there are some basic rules they need to understand in order to be safe. This is both in terms of "technical" safety but - more importantly - their own personal safety and security.

Solihull MBC does not endorse any of the products listed here, they are for example purposes only.  Please do your own research into any product and choose one that best suites you.

Safety, privacy and security - some basic rules

• Use a firewall
  A firewall acts as a barrier between your computer and the rest of the internet, helping to prevent outsiders getting access into your computer and (in some cases) stopping your computer making outgoing connections without your permission. Windows XP (and newer) includes a basic built-in firewall which you should keep switched on, unless you install a full firewall program of your own. These can be bought online or at computer shops, and there are some good free ones available - try looking for the free version from ZoneAlarm. Some Anti-virus software also includes a firewall.
• Use Anti-virus (AV) software, and keep it up-to-date
  Computer viruses can reach your computer from websites, email attachments, flash memory pens, CDROMs and more, and AV software keeps an eye on all of these. The software needs to be kept up-to-date - usually it will download files every few days which include details of the latest viruses and threats so that the software knows what to look out for. If your AV software gives you a choice like "update signature files?" or "download latest updates?" then say "yes" otherwise you are not fully protected. Again there are many different products you can buy, plus some free products that do a good basic job - try AVG Anti-Virus Free for example.
• Install Anti-spyware software
  Spyware isn't the same as a virus but can land you in similar trouble - either by taking control of your computer, or letting other people know what you are typing on your keyboard. Sometimes it's harmless but annoying - for instance, the "adware" which puts unwanted adverts on-screen. You can buy anti-spyware software and again there are some free versions (try Spybot Search & Destroy) - and many anti-virus programs also include anti-spyware protection. Keep your anti-spyware program updated just like your AV!
• Secure your wireless network
  Do you have a wireless network at home? It's great to share files and get the internet easily in different rooms or maybe in the garden - but did you really want to share them with the neighbours, or someone parked nearby with a laptop in their car? Your wireless router is able to encrypt its radiowaves, but this has to be switched on (usually just the once and then it will happen automatically) - and any computers have to connect with a password (which they will remember after you type it in the first time). Make sure this has been done. "WEP" security is better than nothing, and "WPA" is even more secure so use that if you can - but note that if young people are connecting with a Nintendo DS, it can't connect using WPA.
• Quoting your email address
  If an email address is visible on a web page - on MySpace, the young person's own website, on a forum or chatroom maybe - they'll probably find they get even more annoying spam email than usual. There are automatic programs - spiders - that scour the internet building lists of email addresses that they find (by looking for @s and dots). For an email address to be visible, but not picked up by the spammers, try disguising it - if you are joe@mymail.co.uk you could post your email address as something like joe-AT-mymail-DOT-co-DOT-uk and this might fool the spammers, for now at least...
• Spam - don't reply!
  Even if spam offers you the chance to "unsubscribe", it's generally thought that all this does is to confirm that your email address is a valid one which is in active use - which makes it even more attractive to spammers. Just delete the message - or if your email system allows you report spam, or divert it to a junk mail folder, then try that.
• Take care with email attachments
  If the email is from someone you don't know, and/or you can't think of a good reason why you should get a message with an attachment, then don't open the attachment. If it does contain a virus (etc), your AV software should alert you - but do you want to run the risk?
• Think about password security
  The standard advice is to use a secure password, and not to use the same password for more than one thing. That's easier said than done when young people might easily need 5, 6 or even more passwords (think about it - starting the PC, logging into a school intranet, getting email, logging into a download site, eBay, instant messaging...). And what makes a password "secure"? Try mixing letters and numbers, not using complete words, and making the password longer than the minimum allowed. There is online help about strong passwords - for instance here on the Microsoft website which also offers a password strength check.
• Remember the web isn't really private
  When you're online, you leave behind a trail which is mostly invisible but which can allow other people to see what you've been doing. For instance, Internet Explorer lists the webpages you've visited in its History, and keeps copies of webpage files on the hard disk. Plus expert hackers can tell a whole lot more. This isn't to frighten young people off using the web - but is worth bearing in mind especially if they're using a PC which others share, maybe at school or in an internet cafe.
• Think about whether you should trust a website
  It doesn't need a lot of time, skill or money to set up a website - and in many ways that's one of the great things about the web. But it means that sites can be set up without you really knowing who has published them, and whether you can trust them to have accurate or impartial information. There are some things you can do, though... McAfee SiteAdvisor is an online search that can warn you about sites where people have had problems in the past (spam, viruses...), or a free plug-in that sits in Internet Explorer and warns you if you browse to a risky site (and rates all the results when you Google). Also, you can use WHOIS to find out who runs a website. There are a range of WHOIS services - you could start by trying out www.who.is/

Online chat is a great way for young people to meet and get on with others. They need to remember a few simple things to help stay safe...

• You can't tell if people are who they say they are - that 15 year old lad who your daughter is chatting to online might just be 15 going on 40.
• Don't share any "real" personal facts online - your real name, address, school and so on.
• Young people should have a great time online - but if they come across something that makes them feel unhappy, frightened or unsettled, they should just leave. If they're really bothered, they can report it to a moderator or the chatroom provider.
• Young people should be very cautious about making arrangements to actually meet someone they've been chatting with - and if they do, they should tell you and/or someone else reliable what they're doing, and go with an adult or a group of friends. Check out the links below for other useful tips about this situation.

Gaming online

It used to be just "you against the computer" but in recent years we've seen ever more powerful PCs, new platforms like XBox Live and greater use of broadband. This has helped the growth of online gaming where it's "you against a bunch of people who could be any age and gender and anywhere in the world".

The tips above about online chat also apply when young people are gaming. They can also make sure that they know how to block anyone who you is badly behaved or making them feel uncomfortable. Using voice chat during gaming can give others an idea of their age and gender - young people could think about voice masking if they'd rather not share that info.

Find out more...

There are various websites with more detailed help and advice...have a look at:

• The Parentscentre website has a major section on Using computers and the internet which covers issues raised on this page and more, and has links and forum support
• CEOP is the government's Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, which runs the thinkuknow website all about safety and technology. It includes a section for parents or carers at www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/ and also has a "Report Abuse" button where you can alert CEOP to inappropriate online behaviour.
• SORTED at www.childnet-int.org/sorted has all sorts of advice and information about computer security issues
• For more about IDENTITY THEFT, have a look at www.identity-theft.org.uk/
• Information about online music and downloading - try www.childnet-int.org/music
• www.chatdanger.com/ is a site all about the potential dangers of interactive services online like chat, IM, online games, email and on mobiles
• The BBC has a Chatguide for teens plus a page for parents