A national expert on child safety recently offered tips for Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School students and their families for staying safe online.
Wendy Fical, program director for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, spoke to eighth-graders and their parents about using social media and the Internet safely and responsibly.
Fical offered the following tips for teens, courtesy of NetSmartz:
- Avoid comments or images that are illegal, such as threats or nudity
- Make an agreement with your friends that you won’t post hurtful or embarrassing comments or images of each other
- Review your account settings with an eye toward privacy
- Block or report any friends, contacts or followers who engage in harassing or inappropriate behavior
- Read the fine print before granting permission to third-party apps
- Be aware of mobile apps that share your location when you post or check in
Fical also shared videos featuring stories from real teens who have had negative experiences online.