Participate 4.1.2 Digital Safety and Security Quest

It has always been important to be smart on the web. I am constantly reminding my students that the World Wide Web is just that... World Wide, but we become so comfortable with it in our homes that we tend to forget. I do a whole unit on Smart web use.

Lately it seems to be getting worse. There have been numerous accounts of massive numbers of credit card numbers  and account passwords being stolen. The latest are the Target cards, which seem to be more spread out than originally thought and the Bleeding Heart virus collecting password. I myself changed a lot of my favorite passwords and now am having fun remembering to use the new ones. 

• What is the most important step we can take in terms of ensuring our digital safety?
• Use Passwords that you would not think of. The most common password is... password
• Change passwords often - every three to 6 months
• be sure to LOG OFF of the bank, credit card or any account with personal information. We tend to close the web page and not click on LOG OFF. 
• Registrations for any site should include a Captcha or similar web crawling deterrent.
• NEVER type in your SSN to a website. It they are asking then something is wrong!
• What strategies can we take to help our students consistently keep digital safety in the forefront of their minds?
• Remind them. We tend to get comfortable in our own Cyberspace
• Have a poster on the wall in the front of the room
• Current events when a news worthy item appears
• Have a unit on this and then mix this lesson in with others

Here are some websites that teach about the dos and don'ts of digital safety.

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/help-your-kids-stay-safe-and-secure-in-a-247-digital-world
Netsmartz.com
Digital LIteracty and safety in the classroom - https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/curriculum
Net safety to young children - http://www.edutopia.org/blog/internet-safety-younger-elementary-mary-beth-hertz
Cyberbullying Reserch center - http://www.cyberbullying.us/resources.php
A thin line - http://www.athinline.org/
onGuard - http://www.onguardonline.gov/
Identify theft - http://www.idtheftcenter.org/
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/lesson/trillion-dollar-footprint-6-8 - lesson plans!