e-Safety in Schools - All Comments

re: Kent Community Network and Websense

Mrs.Sullivan — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:55:21 GMT

To whom it may concern,

I am a teaching assistant at All Souls CEP and I conduct interventions on Phonics with my Year 5/6 and also do a spelling club.

I need to use a certain website which contains a lot of activities on phonics, but, unfortunately, it's blocked. This is the site -

(www.northwood.org.uk/phonics.htm). Could you possibly unblock it, so I could use it in my teaching.

Kind Regards,

Mrs. Sullivan

Children avoiding age restrictions on Social Networking Sites

e-Safety in Schools — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:02:27 GMT

Nearly a quarter of children between the ages of 8 and 12 are dodging the age restrictions imposed by

re: Your Views required - e-Safety in Kent Schools

Charlie Pepper. Director of Learning ICT — Fri, 23 May 2008 09:36:37 GMT

Since our ThinkUKnow training, we have given e-safety a massive push within our school. All students within our school (1200) were given the traning and we also held information evening sessions to our students parents. We also contacted our local primary schools to talk with their members of staff on the importance of e-safety. I personally feel that not enough is done to raise awareness about the dangers on-line, but the biggest problem is trying to educate the parents on the dangers that lurk behind the computer screen. Most parents are not aware of these. The Internet Safety Day, which was held on the 12th February, highlighted some of the issues surrounding E-Safety and our school featured heavily in this, however more awareness needs to be raised to teachers, carers and parents.

re: Your Views required - e-Safety in Kent Schools

Benjeddi — Tue, 20 May 2008 19:16:13 GMT

When it comes to e-safety the rules are: react after the event. I try to work on a preventative strategy, but it sometimes a struggle more that anything. Over the last 4 years we have been running a successful programme on e-safety called: Missing. this is a game based on a true story from Canada and the US, of a boy who was groomed and eventually kidnapped. Students had to play a role of the police and investigate the whole problem from how the boy groomed to rescuing him. This game hit a cord with all students, and they were really absorbed by the story and enjoyed doing it and discussing the issues raised in it.

Over the last two years we supplemented that with ThinkUKnow material. Very well designed but not interactive.

In my opinion:

If possible, we need to have something where the students can interact, investigate, do a risk assessment and even have different endings to an event that is based on their decision.

the parents need to be involved in identifying the risks and how to deal with them, the whole thing need to be a controlled environment where discussion can take place.

I am aware that this takes time, planning, good material etc..

but if we take the safety seriously, we must not do it by half, and it should be a big part of their education.

re: Byron Review - The Next Steps

Doug Dickinson — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:07:24 GMT

The timetable is too long ... by this time next year we will all have moved on a long way and many of the things in the review will not be as relevant as they are now

re: Your Views required - e-Safety in Kent Schools

Jason Mellor — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:16:11 GMT

Since no-one ever leaves comments here, I worry that your important messages are not reaching those that need to hear them.

Perhaps a higher profile approach is needed?

re: Interesting article from InSafe: Social networking and the formation of character

Sophie — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 11:18:55 GMT

I think I would have to disagree with one of Luison's generalisations here: "[Social networking websites] discourage deep and reflective thinking – not to mention proper spelling!"

I'd really be interested as to how one would quantify what constitutes"deep and reflective thinking" in young people. Who's to say that the thought that goes into creating and maintaining a MySpace site, choosing the music, colour scheme, image etc. and choosing what to write - isn't deep and reflective? And if one is saying that it isn't - well then, what is?

re: Mobility and Internet Safety for Children

Alan — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 19:58:47 GMT

I think this is a really useful and thought provoking summary ... and I like the emphasis on the benefits rather than the dangers!

re: What is Myspace?

Catch UP Lady — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 19:31:45 GMT

I think education on this issue is key, no matter how you do it. Parents, kids and teachers need to work together to educate each other on the ins and outs of the internet. Resources like Cybertipline where you can support anything sketchy you see online are also key in winning this battle!

re: IMSafer Filters, Not Spies, on Kids

Brandon Watson — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 19:55:46 GMT

Alan, that is my personal blog, and kudos to you for finding it. Most people think I am the outfielder for one of our baseball teams. :) As for my expletive laden post on my personal blog, well, I was having a tough week. If you read the post before it, you will see that I was laid up in the hospital for an emergency surgery, and my family wasn't calling. I vented a little...

I am actually not Mr. Anonymous and am happy to chat with anyone on email or IM about who we are, and what we are doing. We have actively been engaging the community on our two blogs, and would love to see you over there. I'm a fairly normal guy with no secrets. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, and then from the Wharton School of Business. I have worked for Microsoft and for George Soros during my career. I have a wife, a kid and another one on the way.

As for our engine, we haven't revealed too much about how we are detecting the predators, because, as you noted, we don't want to give too much away. We have been working with law enforcement to make sure we are looking for the right things, but we can't say much more than that.

Come on over and join the IMSafer community. Engage with us in the conversation about keeping kids safe online.

Brandon Watson
CEO, IMSafer

re: IMSafer Filters, Not Spies, on Kids

Alan — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 17:30:48 GMT

Further to ... who is the CEO of IMSafer? I have carried out research on the web, and I now have some more details. This is his blog:

http://bwatson.typepad.com/

Thats as much provenance as there is. he is Mr anonymous. Do you still want to send him and his anonymous friends all your childrens IM details? He looks fine and safe, but where's the data stored? I bet its hosted on someone elses server.

There is mention of a board of driectors. Who they?

Look at his entry for August 16th, lots of use of expletives!

My point is that we need to be cautious!

re: IMSafer Filters, Not Spies, on Kids

Alan — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 16:33:09 GMT

I'm not sure about the promotion of services such as this. It calls itself a small company in Houston, Texas. How do you know who they are? who runs it? They have access to IM accounts given willingly to a completely anonymous firm in another country. They then have email accounts and registration details?

I also worry about them giving details about the sort of phrases they use as traps, ... its a sure way of predators avoiding being caught.

Just a thought.

re: Schoolgirl web bully 'lucky to avoid jail'

AlanDay — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 09:39:14 GMT

This is a good point. In this case there was clear evidence that could be scrutinised.

Most school bullying is subversive, surrounded by an unwillingness to talk about it, and seeks to isolate and humiliate the victim.

Cyber bullying is different in that the audience is often anonymous and reaches well outside the usual social networks. The humiliation is magnified, and often amplified by people who fuel the flames, yet have no direct connection to the victim or perpetrators.

Also, things that start as a prank can get spiral out of control, and beyond the initial instigators intentions, so we must be cautious about setting the full weight of the abuse at the door of the initial perpetrator.

What is needed is effective evidence gathering, and a moderation of the anonymity. I personally can't see how any control can be exercised over the online environment; therefore it has to be (as in other areas where morality is implied) a process of education.

re: Warning over Social Site abuse (BBC Article 14.09.06)

coz. — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 19:20:55 GMT

there is no oversight, no rules and nobody at bebo or myspace care a jot. Is it really surprising? restrictions lower income. its simple. as an example there used to be lawless towns in the past. what is the only answer? laws, policing, courts and punishment. simple isn't it? imagine any form of social situation where the law does not apply (other than a monastery or similar situation driven by belief), where you can't be punished, where you can't be caught. The law hasn't caught up. It will have to at some point.

re: Schoolgirl web bully 'lucky to avoid jail'

coz — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 19:15:59 GMT

It could be argued that the high visibility of the humiliation was not the reason for the conviction, rather it may have been the filmed violence.

re: i-Kids safety phone

Peter Callaway — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 14:09:44 GMT

I have been trialling this phone for the past 2 weeks and am pretty impressed with it considering the price. You get a lot of technology for your money.

The accuracy location can be a bit hit and miss but still plots a position to within 5m to 50m.

Battery life is exceptional bearing in mind that a position is being sent every 10mins. This 10 min delay could mean that, in certain circumstances, when using the safety zone feature 9mins 59 seconds may pass before a text alert is received warning that the unit has moved outside the zone.

A text message is sent to prompt the parent when the battery is due for a recharge.

The unit can be switched off (no ringing tones in class - should please some schools/teachers) and the unit will still send back its position.

The web based mapping system is easy to use and understand and if you dont have access to a PC then a map can be displayed on a WAP phone, no WAP phone? then a text message can be sent to a basic mobile phone.

When your kid doesn't need it just put it in the boot/glove box of you car and you have a cheap tracking device should your car get stolen.

re: Blog Safety Forum discussion: Myspace v Facebook

Joe Dale — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 12:44:37 GMT

Hi,

We have just been having a discussion about internet safety and social networking sites such as Bebo and MySpace on my blog - www.joedale.typepad.com.

Here is the link:
http://joedale.typepad.com/integrating_ict_into_the_/2006/07/the_kids_are_do.html#comment-20202832

Best wishes

Joe

re: E-safety: the experience in English educational establishments

Alan — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 11:47:51 GMT

Interesting. Do you think the report is a true reflection?
How do we address points 2 and 6 in the executive summary?
Is this report the basis for the e-safety strategy?

re: Teen site moves to block photos

Alan — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 08:33:18 GMT

About time. This site is blocked in Kent, and its interesting to see the positive effect of media attention.

re: Net abuse 'starts in primaries'

Alan — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 09:12:38 GMT

Interesting. This is a real worry, and restates the need for a 'serious' debate on how fiktering can be effective outside of the school environment. Abuse rarely happens at school, and we need to address how universal connectivity to an environment with no rule of law can be mitigated.

re: Kent Community Network and Websense

CableGuy — Tue, 23 May 2006 19:52:28 GMT

Ahh, now we know. Actually most of us techies already know this. Its actually quite good. Us REAL power users don't like it but it keeps the plebs in check I guess. I think we can be overprotective, and its easy to be extra tight to make sure we cover ourselves from blame. Its human nature I thinks.

re: New CEOP Centre will be the most significant development in child protection to date

CableGuy — Fri, 12 May 2006 20:00:44 GMT

I heard about the new centre by accident and decided to search the internet to see if I could find some information, and i found this. This web site is quite a little gem and i will be linking to it. I do have a question though. How will this make a difference to children. Most schools i bet havent even heard of it. Most kids won't see it, and most authorities won't bother as it adds to their rates bills.

On the plus side, the collection of links makes this site really useful.

I am a technician and i always get the blame when kids see things they shouldn't. Its never the teachers, and never the schools fault.

re: Introduction to e-Safety

pussywillow — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 20:46:42 GMT

Glad to see someone is doing something. I know lots of kids in our school who see porn and boast about it. I know teachers who go looking for it and they are not just men. If you ask most kids they just accept that its part of the whole web thing. Mind you, something must have changed last year, cause the kids get a notice when they try now. The connection must have got better, now they'll be doing it in their bedrooms! Still, whats new in having perverts who lock themselves in their bedrooms (LOL).

re: News Report: March 30th 2006 - 'EXCLUSIVE: BOY BULLIED ON HATE WEBSITE'

Paul — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 20:37:14 GMT

It's easy to panic when something as heartbreaking as this occurs to someone. Truth is bullies find any way they can to get at their victims, because that what they are, victims. I suffered taunting and bullying when I was at school, and remember someone spraying obscenities about me on a wall. Its still publishing, and arguably more visible than a web site. What we must do, and what you must do if you are responsible for looking after our children is get them to understand the damage they cause when they insult and bully. I don't see a difference between the different ways it is done, and think you should really be a 'safety' officer, and that e-safety is just one bit of the picture.