Bullying and the Myth of Internet Anonymity

Purpose
To teach children that what they do online can and will effect their real, offline lives. (Note: time required to give this lesson is only 20 minutes. All video segments are short (1-2 minutes each).

What You Will Need

• Netsmartz movie: “Tracking Teresa”
• IKSC movie: “Faux Paw Meets the First Lady”
• Netsmartz movie: “Angela’s Experience”
• Netsmartz movie: Cyberbullying movie 1: “Feathers in the wind”
• Netsmartz movie: Cyberbullying movie 2: “You Can’t Take it Back”
• Netsmartz movie: Cyberbullying movie 3: “Broken Friendship”
• Netsmartz movie: “Keisha’s Crime”
• McGruff game: “Shrink the Cyberbully”
• McGruff Activity: “Bullying”
• IKSC movie clip: Kerri Herrmann

Background for Parents

False Sense of Anonymity on the Web:

When connected to the internet our actions are never completely private or anonymous. Complete privacy or security can not be maintained.  As a practical example, companies invest substantial resources to secure their data and these security methods are constantly being updated and upgraded because hackers are always finding new ways to gain access via the internet. 

Every child needs to understand the broad concept that not only you, the parent, can view internet behavior, but so can millions of people—Internet service providers, law enforcement agencies, and people with software designed for that purpose.  Creating safe passwords and user names helps reduce risks, but ultimately all of our internet use can be traced with software or hardware tools.  

Children who mistakenly feel “secure” or comfortable posting information on blogs and social networking site are often disappointed when, years later, potential employers or schools disqualify them because of comments and photos shared online.

Instant messaging or text messages, which feel so private to the sender, can be forwarded or posted on blog sites, making private conversations very public.  Inappropriate workforce internet use, monitored by most employers in the US, can result in disciplinary action or termination.  It is important for everyone, including children, to understand that complete privacy and security are not possible on the Web.

You as a parent can be a great help in preparing your child for responsible by Web use by treating the Internet like the public venue that it is.  Talk regularly with your child about their Internet experiences. Check histories, buddy lists, and downloaded files.  We recommend tracking software that allows you to view and monitor your child’s internet use.  Your child will come to be prepared to be accountable for his/her online activity. By  your child’s online activity, you will be able to deter any cyberbullying behavior or be of great assistance should your child become a victim of cyberbullying.

One of the greatest threats facing youth today is their mistaken notion that what they do online is anonymous.

Cyberbullying Information:

Cyberbullying is ______________.

Even though currently deleted, old material may be stored on someone else’s computer.

• Cyberbullying can start as early as nine years old
• Cyberbullies are often bullied offline
• Sticks and stones talk doesn’t always help.  Victims need a listening ear and empathy.
• Don’t side with the cyberbully and sensationalize the information the cyberbully received
• Sometimes schools can discipline bullies who harass another student even if it takes place off-campus, but Legally, schools cannot always discipline the cyberbully.  (has to occur on school property and on school hours) But they may be able to facilitate discussion between students and parents.  There are many cases where the police can get involved (slander, fraud, violent threats)
• After about age 15, bullying has generally died down or is romance-related.
• After 18, bullying is considered adult cyber-harassment.
• Every day, nearly 160,000 children miss school because they are scared of bullying, according to the National Education Association. (www.mcgruff.org).  Cyberbullying can create equal problems.  In some tragic cases, cyberbullying has led to suicide. (www.aftab.com)

Actions you can take right now: 

Do a search of the computer.  Figure out which information is out there currently about your child.  Install additional tracking software, if needed.

Change your browser settings to eliminate cookies on your computer.
Opt out of online marketing data collection:  http://www.networkadvertising.org

What you can do if you are cyberbullied

Actions you can take if cyberbullying occurs: 
Trace emails or IMs:  forward to abuse@<domain name of provider> (the domain name follows the @ sign in the cyberbully's email address), and request that the cyberbully's account be terminated. If the harassment is by phone text message, contact your phone company to trace the sender. If the threats are severe enough, contact your local police for help.
·  Have offensive Web sites removed: If threats or offensive comments about your child are being posted on a Web site, you can contact the hosting company to request that the site be taken down. You can find the host of the Web site by going toWhois.net and typing in the Web site address.
·  Contact your child's school: Schools can do little to stop cyberbullying since it usually takes place off of school grounds. However, some schools have written into the school may be able to provide counseling or mediation between your child and the cyberbully if they attend the same school.
From www.mysecurecyberspace.com
ALSO:

• Do not respond to flame.
• Filter all incoming email and have emails from cyberbully sent to a folder.  Use as evidence.
• Block all incoming IM from the cyberbully
• If necessary, buy software eMailTrackerPro  which can trace the computer from which a threatening email came and automatically report it to the ISP of that computer.

What is cyberbullying?

What being the victim of cyberbullying feels like

Watch Netsmartz movie:  “Tracking Teresa”
IKSC movie:  “Faux Paw Meets the First Lady”
Netsmartz movie:  “Angela’s Experience”

Play the Headline game
Have two sets of slips of paper. Give two to each person.  Have each person write his/her name on one.  Have each person write an “I” statement on the other (Example:  “I enjoy going to the beach and spending time in the sun.”).  Fold the papers and put them in separate bowls.  Draw a name out of one and an “I” statement out of the other.  Say the name and “says” then the other random statement.  Example:  “Cheryl says, ‘I love going to an ACDC concert.’”  Explain that cyberbullies often post untrue statements about people and post them for the world to see.  How does this make Cheryl feel?  How would you like for untruths to be posted about you?

What being a cyberbully feels like

Watch Netsmartz movie:  Cyberbullying movie 1: “Feathers in the wind”
Netsmartz movie:  Cyberbullying movie 2:  “You Can’t Take it Back”
Netsmartz movie:  Cyberbullying movie 3:  “Broken Friendship”
Netsmartz movie:  “Keisha’s Crime”

Legal ramifications for a cyberbully

Barred from IM, chat rooms, have account deleted, suspended from school, criminal prosecution

Netiquette Review

Put cyberbullying rules here

Play McGruff game:  “Shrink the Cyberbully” at http://www.mcgruff.org/funstuff/cyberbully.htm

Remember, do not post anything on the internet that you do not printed as a headline the next day.

Feathers in the Wind Activity
Plan this activity for a windy day.  (Your local weather is available at www.Google.com).  Get a bag of feathers at a local craft store.  Go out when it’s windy and have your child release the feathers into the wind.  Talk to your child about the impossibility of getting the feathers back into the bag.  Ask them to imagine that something mean was written about them on each feather: how would that feel?

Now imagine that on each feather is a little mark that identifies that the feather came from your house. 

Explain that the Internet works like this.  People can send out little bits of information.  Sometimes they say things that are mean, but once it’s on the Internet you can never get rid of it, and with the right tools, the FBI or police can figure out who you are.

Flower Petals in the Wind
Collect flower petals from roadside flowers or a left over arrangement.  Explain:
There are many things we can send over the internet and never have to worry about needing to get them back.
Release the flower petals into the wind.  Explain:
Everyone likes flowers; if a flower petal blows into our yard, even if it doesn’t belong there, it’s kind of nice, isn’t it? What are some flower petal-type messages that we might send over the Internet.  A nice note to a friend, compliment to a teacher, a question about school work, “When is that report due?”  Or, “do you have the vocabulary list?” A birthday note to your Grandma or Grandpa.

When we do anything on the Internet, we need to act like it might end up written across the side of a mountain, like the Hollywood sign.

Definitions:

Flame:
IP address:
Cookies: Cookies are small chunks of data created by a Web server, delivered through a Web browser, and stored on your computer. They provide a means for Websites that you visit to keep track of your online patterns and preferences, as well as identify you as a return visitor. Cookies make the personalization of your Web experiences possible. For example, without the use of cookie files, it would be virtually impossible to maintain an online stock portfolio. You would need to re-enter your information from scratch upon each visit to that Web site.   Network advertisers use cookies to track users' Web preferences and characteristics and tailor ads for them.   From www.networkadvertising.org
Web beacon:  Generally, a Web beacon consists of a small string of software code that represents a graphic image request on a Web page or email. There may or may not be a visible graphic image associated with the Web beacon and often the image is designed to blend into the background of a Web page or email. Web beacons can be used for many purposes - including site traffic reporting, unique visitor counts, advertising auditing and reporting, and personalization. A significant majority of Web beacons collect only anonymous data. However, some may be used to collect PII, particularly in the case of email that contains a Web beacon. In such cases, the data collected through the Web beacon may be linked to the recipient's email address or other information identifying the recipient.  From www.networkadvertising.org
Social networking sites
Instant messaging
email

Family Fun: Lesson 3
(approx 20 min)