RSS
Home
Rocklin police give cyber safety lessons to middle school students
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Rocklin, Ca. --On Monday, November 23, 2009, Michael Nottoli, Crime Prevention Coordinator for the Rocklin Police Department, delivered a presentation to 100 middle school students at St. Peter and Paul Church on Granite Drive in Rocklin, Ca. The purpose of the presentation was to provide the youth with an overview of the safety concerns and legal responsibilities of using the Internet.
“We have had cases where kids have used the electronic media to send out inappropriate material and also regretted sending out pictures of themselves,” said Nottoli who described a sad incident wherein a girl sent an ‘unclothed’ picture of herself to her boyfriend. “They later broke up and the picture was circulated to many more people than the girl intended,” said Nottoli who added that this incident occurred two or three years ago and the picture is still circulating.
Nottoli’s presentation gave the youth credit for knowing a lot about the Internet technology and how to use it. It also cautioned the students to consider what they might not know or always think about:
- It’s very easy to give out private information about yourself and others to strangers.
- Once you publish private information, you may be reached by bad actors who seek to make you a victim – such as child predators or identity thieves.
- Some of the information you publish can break the law, such as sending nude photos of yourself or others
Nottoli’s cyber-sense ground rules for adolescents:
1. Don’t give out personal information such as home address, real name, school, who your friends are, etc.
2. Don’t purchase anything over the Internet without permission of your parents. Never use their credit card without permission.
3. Use discretion when posting photos of yourself. You never know who will get a hold of it or how it will be used.
4. Do not communicate with strangers over the Internet. Don’t believe what they say about themselves – they could easily be lying about age, sex, etc.
5. Never agree to meet in person with someone you met on line without first checking with your parents.
6. Listen to your gut. Do not respond to questions and messages that make you feel uncomfortable. Report them to your parents, teachers, or school resource officer.
7. Do not give out your password.
8. Do not leave your computer unattended while you are on-line.
9. Don’t engage in any illegal activities on the Internet.
Related stories:
Sexting: Media hype, criminal act, and opportunity to teach common sense
Mobile phones are a great tool for kids to score drugs
Secure your child's cyber home
Pedophiles adapt to cyber technology
Safe ways to navigate the Internet
(Ref: 215-e)
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
