School district to host Internet Safety Forum
CATSKILL - The Catskill school district, concerned that students may be inadvertently sharing personal information with the world over the Internet, will host an Internet Safety Forum this month.
The forum, which is intended for a mature audience, will focus on Internet safety and abuse, as well as the Web site MySpace.com, which some critics say attracts predators. State police Investigator Daniel Bien of the Cyber Terrorism Unit said he will give a presentation and take questions during the forum, which is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. April 11 in the Catskill High School auditorium.
"Our primary impetus in putting this forum on is to be proactive in our community," said Assistant Principal William Ball. He said there has been increasing concern about students using MySpace; some are posting profiles containing personal information, not realizing the information becomes accessible worldwide, not just to their friends.
Ball said inappropriate photographs and references to criminal activity and bullying have been seen on MySpace. He said there have been instances where police involvement became necessary due to situations found on the site.
Bien said he when he talks about MySpace, he recommends that parents allow their children to use the site because it is a way for them to express themselves and be creative. However, he said parents need to review the content of the site and discuss it with their children. He said there are ways to secure the site so personal information does not become available.
"One of the things I tell parents is that all of your daughter's friends know what your daughter looks like, so she doesn't have to put her pictures online," Bien said.
MacKenzie Zajac, 17, said she uses MySpace to talk to her friends but not to meet new people. She said her parents know about the site, which she visits at least once a day. Zajac, a high school junior, said the site could be dangerous for people under 15 because they may not be aware of pedophiles or older people posing as young people.
Amanda Hutchings, 16, a sophomore at the high school, said she too only talks to her friends from the site and does not use MySpace to meet new people. She said she does not know of anyone who has had problems with the site, but noted that she and her friends keep their comments simple and do not reveal where they live.
According to information provided by MySpace, no one under 14 is allowed to use the site. The site's terms and conditions read, in part, "Your MySpace.com profile may not include the following items: telephone numbers, street addresses, last names, and any photographs posted by you may not contain nudity or obscene, lewd, excessively violent, harassing, sexually explicit or otherwise objectionable subject matter." The site also posts tips for using MySpace, including a reminder that the profiles and forums are public spaces.
In addition to discussing MySpace, Bien said he also talks about things like phishing scams - in which con artists posing as legitimate sites try to get credit card and other personal information; e-mail security, hoaxes and get-rich-quick schemes. He said he also touches on the terrorism aspect of Internet safety.
"A lot of the hoaxes and the scams have been traced directly back to funding terrorists," he said.
The forum, which is intended for a mature audience, will focus on Internet safety and abuse, as well as the Web site MySpace.com, which some critics say attracts predators. State police Investigator Daniel Bien of the Cyber Terrorism Unit said he will give a presentation and take questions during the forum, which is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. April 11 in the Catskill High School auditorium.
"Our primary impetus in putting this forum on is to be proactive in our community," said Assistant Principal William Ball. He said there has been increasing concern about students using MySpace; some are posting profiles containing personal information, not realizing the information becomes accessible worldwide, not just to their friends.
Ball said inappropriate photographs and references to criminal activity and bullying have been seen on MySpace. He said there have been instances where police involvement became necessary due to situations found on the site.
Bien said he when he talks about MySpace, he recommends that parents allow their children to use the site because it is a way for them to express themselves and be creative. However, he said parents need to review the content of the site and discuss it with their children. He said there are ways to secure the site so personal information does not become available.
"One of the things I tell parents is that all of your daughter's friends know what your daughter looks like, so she doesn't have to put her pictures online," Bien said.
MacKenzie Zajac, 17, said she uses MySpace to talk to her friends but not to meet new people. She said her parents know about the site, which she visits at least once a day. Zajac, a high school junior, said the site could be dangerous for people under 15 because they may not be aware of pedophiles or older people posing as young people.
Amanda Hutchings, 16, a sophomore at the high school, said she too only talks to her friends from the site and does not use MySpace to meet new people. She said she does not know of anyone who has had problems with the site, but noted that she and her friends keep their comments simple and do not reveal where they live.
According to information provided by MySpace, no one under 14 is allowed to use the site. The site's terms and conditions read, in part, "Your MySpace.com profile may not include the following items: telephone numbers, street addresses, last names, and any photographs posted by you may not contain nudity or obscene, lewd, excessively violent, harassing, sexually explicit or otherwise objectionable subject matter." The site also posts tips for using MySpace, including a reminder that the profiles and forums are public spaces.
In addition to discussing MySpace, Bien said he also talks about things like phishing scams - in which con artists posing as legitimate sites try to get credit card and other personal information; e-mail security, hoaxes and get-rich-quick schemes. He said he also touches on the terrorism aspect of Internet safety.
"A lot of the hoaxes and the scams have been traced directly back to funding terrorists," he said.
posted by idtics at 11:40 AM
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